This is Part Two.
And it is rated for sexual content and mature language. Don't read it if you aren't suppose to.
The "Avatar" State
Aang followed Sokka as they exited the Palace of the Fire Nation. They had wondered for a bit through the dungeon, before swiftly escaping from any guards that might have found them. They did not have to use bending or brute force in any way in order to get out.
And now they were just outside the Palace, but they were not sure where. It was night time and their were trees everywhere.
"Great, we've walked out of a maze and into a forest" Sokka whined.
Aang smiled. "But we are out of the Palace and no one will be sacrificed"
"You... have a good point" he managed to smile, though it was obvious that he was worried about his sister. "So.. what now?" he leaned against the nearest tree.
Aang sat down next to him. "I ..." he paused and frowned. "We should..." he sighed. "Defeat Ozai" he whispered.
Sokka sighed. "I hoped you wouldn't say that" he whispered. "I really don't want to go back in there"
Aang leaned against the tree Sokka was leaning against. "But...you know we have to" he simply stated.
Sokka slinked down, so he was sitting on the ground but leaning against the tree still. "I don't wanna" he whined, as he hung his head. "I am tired" he whispered.
Aang did not respond as he was already sleeping and Sokka did not noticed as he fell asleep soon after.
The sun filtered through the trees and splashed across thier faces. Aang stirred first and found Sokkas head on his shoulder, a huge puddle of drool soaking his tattered shirt. He sighed, he did not want to wake him just yet, but could feel the wetness of his drool seeping into his shoulder.
"Sokka" he shook the man slightly. He mumbled something but did not move. "Sokka" he shook him again.
"Jus... ive..." he moved slightly and whiped more drool on Aang.
The Avatar sighed. "Sokka" he yelled.
His head popped up. "Wha...?" he looked around, his hair swinging wildly about.
"Its day time" Aang motioned to the sun. "We should probably move" he stated.
Sokka nodded as he whiped his mouth. "Sure" he frowned. "Something dripped on you" he motioned to the wet spot on his left shoulder.
Aang glared. "You dripped on me" he stated.
Sokka blushed. "Sorry"
Aang shrugged. "It's okay" he stated as he got to his feet. "But we should move. I am surprised we haven't been discovered yet"
Shrugging, Sokka got to his feet. "Maybe we are just such good hiders" he grinned as he stretched.
"Maybe" Aang stated. "Lets get moving"
They walked a bit more into the forest. The trees were small, but there was many of them, so they hoped they would not be seen if there were any guards out and about. And it had been nearly a day since their escape, surely there would be guards looking for them.
They were silent as they walked, but both were thinking the same thing. Neither could understand why Katara had done what she did. Why she wanted to stay with the Fire Nation Prince, why she helped them escape, why she did anything.
"I don't get her" Aang mumbled.
Sokka knew exactly who he was refering too. "Women are hard to understand"
"Do you..."Aang gulped. "Do you think she loves him?"
Sokka stopped walking. "I sure as hell hope not" he hoarsly whispered, afraid to yell.
Aang turned to him. "But what if she does?" he asked. "It is possible. Who knows how long they have been spending time together"
Sokka gritted his teeth and clentched his hand. "We have to go back for her" he growled.
They stood in silence. "We are going back to the palace" Aang told him. "We are going to defeat Ozai"
The Water Tribe man nodded. "I know that... and we probably don't have long before the comet" he looked up, but there was nothing to see beside the tops of trees. "And while we are there, we will find Katara"
The tone of his voice scared Aang, but he was sure it was just his worried, over-protective brother tone. He was sure he would have the same tone. In their years of travel, once his childish crush was over come, he began to think of her as a sister. He wanted to save her just the same.
"Do you think she betrayed us, willingly?" Aangs voice was so distant.
Sokka persed his lips together as he calmed down slightly. "I hope not" he sighed.
Aang looked around. "We will rest in the trees... until tomorrow. Then we will go back into the palace and do whatever we have to" Sokka agreed and they easily climbed the tree nearest them.
They slept all day and into the night, curling into each other for warmth. Sokka ended up soaking Aangs other shoulder in drool and nearly got pushed out of the tree for it, but the Avatar restrained himself. He only got a slap to the head for it, instead.
"We should get going" Aang stated.
Sokka nodded. "Should we clean up or something?" he motioned to their clothing, his wild hair, and the little spikes begining to grow on Aangs head.
The Avatar looked down at his own self. "I suppose we can't fight the Fire Lord, looking like this" he picked up the tattered edge of his tunic and let it fall against his legs. He glared at Sokka. "Why would he care what we look like?"
Sokka shrugged. "I just wanna a bath" he nearly whined.
Aang rolled his eyes. "Fine... maybe we can find Fire Nation clothing as well" he stated.
Sokka grinned. "Now you are thinking" He looked down at the ground. "We should get going" he jumped down and looked up at Aang. "The faster we get going, the faster we can save my sister and kill Ozai"
Quietly, skillfully and looking like Fire Nation palace guards, Sokka and Aang walked through the halls of the palace. They were clean, shaven, and feeling like humans again. Although they were much more cocky because of the uniforms, along with helmuts, they had stolen from a few guards who walked into the bath house after them.
"It was a good idea to take these" Aang nodded to himself. "Mines a little big, but..." he shrugged.
"You just don't eat enough" Sokka stated as they came to a cross roads in the hallways. "Now which way?"he asked himself.
Aang looked the three other ways then shrugged. "I thought you knew where you were going" he whispered.
"I was just walking" Sokka told him. He covered Aangs mouth before their was a retort. "Someones coming" he stated and pointed to the left of them.
They went across the hall and stayed near the wall, hoping no one would see them. They heard their voices before the two guards came into view.
".. in two days?" one asked. "I'm not sure having an execution during the Comet Festival is just a good idea"
The other shrugged. "It's up to the Fire Lord and Prince Zuko" he sighed. "I mean its not like we get the time off like everyone else"
The first nodded. "True. But we still get to go, even if we are escorts to the Prince and his whore"
Sokka clentched his teeth and wanted to hit the guard, but Aang held him back.
"If you said that around him, I think you'd loose something" the second told him. "besides, he doesn't treat her like a concubine..." their voices were lost as they got furthur down the hall way.
Sokka wiggled out of Aangs grasp. "I'm going to kill him" he whispered as he stalked off down the hall the two had come from.
Aang sighed as he quietly followed. He knew that Sokka was no match for the Fire Nation Prince, but he also knew that Sokka would try as hard as he could to fight him. Hopefully Katara would be able to heal Sokka if the event should arise.
They wandered, for what seemed like hours, only running into a few guards and only stumbling into a few rooms that did not belong to Prince Zuko or Katara. Although, from what they heard, they figured that the two would be in the same room.
Sokkas blood boiled at the thought of that firenation bastard touching his sister, let alone... he shuttered at the thought every time in entered his mind. Aang just made sure to make sure he did not go off by himself or walk into a wall. He cared about Katara and he wanted her to be okay, but he was more worried about Fire Lord Ozai.
"Should we check in here?" Sokka leaned against a door, to see if he could hear anything.
"I don't think we should try..." he began but Sokka had already opened the door and gone in.
"Sokka..." Aang hoasly whispered, but he ignored the Avatar as he walked more into the room. They were half way in when they realized they were in the right room and by then it was too late to turn back.
Sokka stopped and Aang ran into him, peering around his arm at what had made him stop. There in the rather large bed, slept the Fire Nation Prince, on his back. A dark body was pressed up against him, an arm over his torso, choclate hair covering his chest and hiding her face. But they knew who it was.
"Katara?" Sokkas voice cracked. Aangs mouth hung open, he had no idea what to say let alone think. "Katara" he hoarsly whispered. He crept closer to the bed, and noticed that they were both at least half naked. He closed his eyes and turned around, saying "Katara" over his shoulder.
"mm" was her response, as she opened her one eye. Aang finally made it up there and blushed when he saw the scene. He turned around as well as they heard Katara shift. "Who..."
"Katara" Sokka whispered, still not looking.
"Sokka?" she hissed. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she sat up, covering herself with the sheet.
"Coming to save you" Aang stated, when Sokka did not answer right away.
Katara climbed over Zuko and found the closes peice of material, Zukos robed and put it on. She walked up to them and around so they would look her in the face. "I don't need your rescuing" she told them as she pushed them towards the balcony. "I told you to go..."
"And we are... going to save you" Aang told her.
"No" she huffed as she leaned against the railing.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Sokka yelled loudly, finally able to break his daze.
"I don't want to hear it, Sokka" she shot back.
"How.. how can you sleep with him?" he asked.
Katara crossed her arms. "Its my buisness, Sokka, just stay out of it"
"Fuck you, I'll stay out of it" his eyes were wide. "This is why you didn't want to come with us" he pointed his finger at him. "You are too busy being his whore, to help us"
Kataras eyes widened and from no where called water to her. She pushed it at Sokka and froze him where he stood. Casually she approached him. "Don't you ever call me that" she said through her teeth.
"Its true..." Sokka regretted it the moment it left his mouth. He noticed the full moon over her shoulder and his eyes went wide, as she flung him, wave and all, against the railing. She froze him in the awkward position he landed against the railing, semi-conscious.
"Katara" Aang softly called. She looked at him and it was as though he did not recognize her. As though their weeks apart has changed her. "What are you doing?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I will not be called a whore, by my own brother" she spat. "besides... a whore emplies sex for money or multiple partners" she calmed down but kept Sokka pinned. "And I have had neither" she looked at Aang only. "Now... I suggest both of you go"
"But... we.. don't know how to get anywhere" Aang told her. "We've been wandering all day"
She sighed. "You want to defeat Ozai?" she asked.
"I have to" he stated.
She paused to think. "His throne room is in the centre of the palace" she stated. "If you go to the right, down the hallway out there, you will come to it"
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I remember from the tour Lord Chen gave me, about two weeks ago" she told him as she unfroze Sokka. He was begining to become fully awake. "... keep your helmuts on until you get there" she instructed.
Sokka got to his feet and rang his hair out. "I can't beleiv..."
"And don't bring him back if he is going to be like that" she pointed to her brother. "I won't hesiste to bend him again"
Aang nodded. "Thanks, Katara" he smiled. "You look pretty with your hair down"
She blushed. "Thanks" she grinned as she moved out of thier way. "Now hurry... if you are lucky you can get there before the sun is up"
"Okay" Aang nodded as Sokka approached him as they turned to leave the balcony.
"And Aang..." she stated before they had disapeared. "Good luck" she whispered.
Aang dragged Sokka from the balcony and through the room, all the while Sokka was complaining about the way his sister had treated him.
Katara stared out at the courtyard Zukos balcony faced. She sighed as tears fell down her cheek. It was bad enough that others were calling her names for what she was doing, but she certainly did not need it from her own brother. She did not have to take it from him.
"Kat?" though his voice was low, she knew of only one person her called her that. She did not turn around, but whiped her tears away so he would not see.
"I couldn't sleep" she whispered.
He rolled his eyes. "I heard them" he stated as he came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.
"Go away" she tried to push him away from her, but he held her tight.
"You don't have to listen to them..."
She quickly turned around to look him in the eyes. "I didn't" she told him. "But its getting harder not to hear them"
"I know..."
"Fuck you, you know" she tried to push away but he held her there. "I hear the maids when they come to clean your room, or the random guard in the hallway when they don't see me. Everyone thinks that you are just using me..." she yelled at him. "And I don't even know if they are wrong"
He looked at her struggling in his arms and thought about letting go. But if he let her go, then she would surely leave and he would never see her again. And he had come to depend on her, enjoyed seeing her face when he walked into his room at night. Enjoyed having her sleeping next to him, comforting him. He also enjoyed controlling her. He held her tighter.
Tears leaked down her cheeks. "What do you want from me?" she asked for, what seemed, like the millionth time.
He took a deep breath. "I want you to stay with me" he told her. "I mean, its not like you have a choice"
She stopped struggling and looked at him. "And be what?" she asked. "Your concubine, a fuck buddy, a prisoner, just your friend... what will I be?" he could hear the indignation in her voice and he wished he did not have to answer her right now.
"I don't know" he honestly said. "And its not like it matters" he tried to brush it off, like he did every time, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that it would not be that easy.
Katara persed her lips together and pushed him away. "Until you make up your fucking mind..." she didn't bother with the rest as she stormed away from the balcony. A few moments later he heard her slam the door to his room. He did not have to worry about her, there was no where for her to go.
Zuko sighed as he stood on his balcony, drapped in only his sheet and let the humid air hit his body. He did not know what to do about her. Sure she was lovely, and spirited, and soft, and hard, and he melted when she looked at him with those blue eyes. And when she caved to his every will, there was nothing better. But he knew he would never marry her, never give her what she wanted and yet it was not as though that bothered him. He was more worried about loosing the one person he could control.
He had toyed with the idea of letting her go, letting her do whatever she wanted, but then he would have to break someone else and he was not sure he was up for that. So he had to decide if she was worth keeping around or would he be fine with letting her go.
He leaned on the railing and sighed, wondering if it would be as easy as he thought it would be. But he already knew the answer to that question.
Aang and Sokka walked down the hall that Katara had told them to. Once they started passing more guards, they knew they were going in the right direction. They nodded to the guards they passed, trying desperately to look like they belonged there.
The Avatar could tell that Sokka was still upset about his sister, he would mumble every once in awhile and Aang was sure that if they did not get to hurt something soon, Sokka would crack. Aang was surprised to find Katara with Zuko and yet not at the same time. It made sense to him and it made what she did when they were on the ship and disembarking, make sense. She was preserving herself and he did not think there was anything wrong with that. He had an entire state of being that protected him, so that he would be safe and able to continue the line of the Avatar. Being with Zuko was Kataras "Avatar State", he could not blame her for that and hoped that Sokka would not blame her forever.
With no real big dramaticness, they burst into the wide hallway and saw the grand doors they could only assume belonged to the Fire Lords throne room. They paused a moment to look at it before walking up to the guards at the door. Neither had a plan, they did not even know what to say, but figured they could think of something.
"Finaly... where the hell have you been?" the one guard asked them.
Sokka looked at Aang then back at the guard. "Sorry... lost track of time" he hoped it was the right thing to say.
"Well don't let it happen again" the guard motioned to his partner and they took off down the hall.
The two looked at each other. "I think we are guarding the Fire Lord" Sokka whispered as they took thier "posts".
"So... do we just go in?" Aang asked, making sure to keep his voice down.
"Well.. what are you going to do once you are in there?" Sokka kept a look out, making sure no one heard them.
Aang shrugged. "I have never thought that far" he stated honestly.
"In three years... you never came up with a plan?" Sokka asked hoarsly.
"Have you?"Aang retorted before standing perfectly still. Sokka micmiced him and they nodded to two guards passing by them.
"No" Sokka honestly told him. "That doesn't matter... we are here now and... we have to figure something out" he stated.
Aang thought a moment. "I suppose I should go in an confront him"
"Just remember all your training" Sokka stated and they both fell silent. "She'd be so proud of you" he whispered thinking of Toph.
"Yeah..." Aang nodded with a sigh. She had been hurt to the point that they thought she would die, and after many hours of healing, Katara had managed to make her stable enough to bring to the North Pole. Alone, it would take Katara weeks to heal her and even then it might not be complete. So they had decided to go to the North Pole. Katara had been kipnapped just before they left the Earth Kingdom, but they went to the North Pole anyways, fearing for Tophs life. They were captured just after they landed.
To keep everyone safe, Aang surrendered. They should have done that the first time they were at the North Pole, but to the Water Tribe it was not an option. They wanted to fight, to help defeat the Fire Nation. But this time, Aang would not hear of it. He surrendered and though Zuko always said he would let Sokka go, he asked for him as well. Against his better judgement Sokka went with them, if nothing else, it was to help his friend and his sister. He regretted the decision almost instantly.
As they were thrown into the hold of the ship, Zuko waisted no time in telling them how he knew where they were. That was how they found out it was Kataras fault, and for the rest of the two month voyage, it was all they could think and talk about. With one friend out of commision and the other siding with the enemy, the two boys had never felt so alone and so.. scared.
"Just remember what you learned from... her" he sneered the word. "And Toph and your improvised fire bending" in three years they had not been able to find another fire bending teacher. After the death of Jeong Jeong, there were no other fire benders who would teach him, so he improvised. And he learned to control it as much as possible, but against a strong fire bender, he figured he would fail hopelessly. "And if all else fails.. just go Avatar on his ass" Sokka looked around to make sure there was no one coming. "Good luck" he whispered as Aang opened the door.
The Avatar snuck into the throne room and squinted. It was very dark, aside from the fire pit around the throne. He could not see Fire Lord Ozai sitting there, so he wandered around the room, looking for where he would be.
"Well, well, well" came a sultry voice from the shadows. Aang recognized it immidiately. "What have we here?" Azula stepped out of the shadows. "Come to kill my father, have you?" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes" Aang said plainly.
"Well.. maybe you should try over there" she motioned to a door behind her. "thats where he sleeps"
Aang looked at her suspiciously. "Why.. would you tell me that?" he asked, weery of any help that she would offer.
Azula grinned. "Because.. you'll get rid of my father... I'll get rid of my brother.. and the throne will be mine" she grinned. "Its the only reason I've put up with his bullshit all these years"
When she smiled, it made Aang cringe. He looked at her as he quietly walked passed her. "And what happens when you are Fire Lord... Fire... Lady?" he asked.
She smirked. "Fire Queen" her eyes flared. "And.. I will ..." she sighed. "How about we leave that for after you've killed him"
Aang glared at her. "I won't kill one tyrant so he can be replaced by another" he told her as he readied himself for a battle.
She laughed. "I don't intend on being a tyrant" she was relaxed. "I intend on ruling my people... all of my people.. all around the world. So I guess I could take the title of Queen of the World"
Aang took a deep breath. There was no way he could take on Azula and then Ozai or the other way around. He looked at her then the door. He would destroy the current evil and worry about the next generation when it happened. Zuko may even defeat her, so he did not have to. Although he was not sure if the Prince would be better or worse than what was there already or his sister. It was a gamble Aang had to take.
Without saying a word he went towards the door she pointed to and opened it. Aang hung his head. The Fire Lord slept around a ring of fire as well. He closed the door and made his way to the bed.
"So you've finally come" Aang stopped dead in his tracks when the Fire Lords voice boomed.
"If everyone in this damn palace awake?" he asked himself as he tried to quickly think of what to do.
"I have been waiting for you, since I heard of your escape two days ago" Ozai told him, not bothering to sit up in his bed. " I figured I was your first target"
"You are.. were..." Aang took a deep breath. "I will defeat you, then Azula and Zuko if he gets in my way" he gritted his teeth to sound more menacing.
Ozai managed a slight chuckled. "Genocide of the Royal Family" Aang could hear the grinning in his words. "I didn't think you had it in, you Avatar"
"I am doing what I have to, to protect the world from you and those like you" Aang told him as he noticed the Fire increasing around the pit.
Ozai laughed outright this time. "There are plenty of people, from all the Nations, who are like me" he sat up, though Aang could still not see him. "They are just too weak to do anything about it"
Aang watched as the Fire Lord got out of his bed and walked through the fire. "If they try anything, I will defeat them as well. There is no need for one Nation to be stronger than the others"
"But we are stronger" the fire blazed and Aang wondered if it would burn down the Fire Lords room. "Fire benders are the strongest in the world... and I will show you why" Aang could see his red eyes glaring at him as the Fire Lord through a punch at him.
The fire ball came at Aang and he easily avoided it, without bending. He just stepped away from it. Though it was dark, Aang could see him and shot fire at him in return. Ozai laughed as he caught the small fire ball and sent it back at Aang. This time Aang blew it out.
"I have not even begun, Avatar, you might as well give up"
Aang took a deep breath. "I don't think so" he threw a gust of wind at him.
The Fire Lord deflected it with whips of fire and shot a large chain of fire at him. Aang deflected it towards a tapestry. It caught fire and began spreading.
"You'll burn down my entire Palace" Ozai stated, mater-o-factly.
"If thats what it takes" Aang stated as he stomped his foot. There was a slight tremour, but much of the floor was made of metal. Though he was the Avatar, Aang could not bend metal like Toph, as he could not feel the earth in the metal. But there was earth under it and he could feel that.
"Your elements won't help you here" Ozai stated as he bombarded Aang with fast punches and kicks. "There is not enough earth or water for miles"
Aang consitrated on the fire being thrown at him rather than what the Lord was saying, though he knew Ozai was right. He diverted the fire and more of the room went up in flame. The two began circling each other, trying to decide who would run from the fire first, though the Fire Lord already knew who it was.
Aang looked around and decided quickly about what he needed to do. He conjured all of the wind he could and blasted it at the Fire Lord. Ozai could not with stand it and went flying, through the door, into this throne room. Quickly Aang blew out all the fires and raced to meet him once more. He would not have the Palace being burned down, on his conscience.
The Fire Lord stood up, shaking his head. "It won't be that easy" he stated as he began a bonbardment again.
Aang was able to deflect them and they dispated before they could engulf anything in this room. He had to think of a way to stop the Fire Lord, but it was difficult to think with all the avoiding he was doing. He knew he could not stop the Fire Lord with his airbending, it was just not the way that bending worked and the only other bending at his disposal was firebending. He would have to use his un-refined technique on a master and dreaded it.
From within Aang called all his frustration and anger and chanelled it into a massive fire ball, between his hands. He launched it as the unsuspecting Lord and caught him off guard. The fire ball cinged him slightly as Ozai deflected it, but it was not defeating.
"So you have a bit of fire bending skill" Ozai chuckled as he snuffed out little fires on his clothing. "I will have to find the traitor and kill him" he stated.
"I learned on my own" Aang told him and he prepared another fire ball. He shot it at the Fire Lord before there was any time for him to really re-group. This one sent Ozai back a bit, igniting his entire shirt with fire.
With his eyes blazing, Ozai snuffed out the fires on his shirt and removed the strips of material, letting them fall to the floor. Igniting his hands and arms with flames, he whipped them at Aang.
The Avatar hovered around and missed them all, sending a whirl wind towards the Fire Lord. Ozai was caught off guard and fell to the ground. "You are strong" he stated as he got to his feet and brushed himself off. "But I know you can't kill me" he chuckled. "You're an Air Nomad... its not in you"
Aang took a deep breath. "I am also the Avatar, and I will defeat you" he took a deep breath. If he was going to stop Ozai, he would have to initiate the Avatar State. He knew, like the Fire Lord, that in his normal state he would never be able to defeat him. But if he initiated the Avatar State, all his past lives would come to help him, to protect him.
He blew Ozai away as he began his meditation. He had gone in and out of the Avatar State numourous times since mastering it, and he could get there fast. In seconds his eyes and tattoos were glowing, and he was absorbing the fire around the throne, into a whirlwing ball around him.
Ozai looked him and he suddenly looked scared. He knew what the Avatar State could do, he had heard reports from when it was used, although to see it was quite impressive. He stood up and threw a fire ball at him. It got absorbed in the swhirling fire as Aang walked towards him.
"You have become too powerful and unbalanced the world" the voice of all the Avatars boomed from Aang. "We will restore what you have damaged"
Ozai did not try to fight it, he knew he could not take on the Avatar in this state. He had barely kept up his end in regular combat. He stood there and watched the Avatar comand the fire ball around him. Before Ozai could blink fire consumed his entire body and he screamed in pain.
He was flung against the far wall, and fell in a smoking heap to the ground.
Aang looked around and found Azula still in the room. Her eyes went wide as she realized that he was focusing in on her. She took her stance and did the sweeping motions to call the lightening. She aimed it right at him, and gasped when it was absorbed by his spining circle of fire.
She did it again, and again her lightening was absorbe. This time it was sent back towards her, she tried to evade it, but failed and it caught her in the arm. She screamed as she fell to the floor. Aang did not hesistate to zap her again. When he was done, she was smoking as well.
As he calmed down, the fire disapeared, the room went black and he receeded from the Avatar State. He dropped to his knees, tears flowing from his face. He could not beleive what he had just done. Though it needed to be done, he could not beleive it had happened.
"Aang?" Sokkas soalthing voice penetrated his thoughts. "Aang?" he came closer, unsure where he was.
"I'm right here" he lit a small flame so Sokka could find him. The Water Tribe man ran to his side. "I'm okay" he told him.
"Is he..." Sokka began and Aang nodded.
"As well as Azula" he stated. He could still see thier bodies in his mind, the smoke from them and they way they looked sprawled on the ground.
Sokka nodded. "Thats good Aang... thats really good" he tried to convince him.
"I ... I... killed them" he whispered. "I... hate the Avatar State"
Sokka took a deep breath. "But you need the Avatar State. It's your protection" Sokka told him. Katara had always been the one to reasure Aang after the Avatar State, to assure him that things would be alright.
"I know" he whipped the tears away. "I know" he sighed. "And its for the betterment of the world"
"Exactly" Sokka smiled as he held out his hand. "C'mon" he helped Aang up, with his non-fired hand and they walked from the throne room.
They both had their helmuts off and neither cared if they were seen by the Palace guards. They walked down a hallway, unsure where it would lead or if they would ever get out. It had been a tiring trek, and their goal was finally reached, they deserved to rest.
Aang fell first, unconcious before he hit the floor. Sokka looked at him and went to help him up, but instead collapsed right beside him, unconscious as well.
Katara sat between the two beds that held her brother and her friend. They had been found not far from the throne room, unconscious. On Zukos orders they wer not to be harmed and brought to a spare bedroom in the palace. There were healers to look after them but Katara would hear nothing of it. She would take care of them.
They found Ozai and Azula dead soon afterwards. Zuko was on hand to make sure that people did not over react or try something stupid. He took charge effortlessly and the soldiers did not have a problem listening to his orders. His first one being, to set up funeral pyres for his father and sister. He may not have liked them very much, but he was not about to dishonour them.
Katara had not spoken to him in three days. She ignored him when he came to check on the two, and if he persisted, she would take an attacking stance. She never had to say anything to him, he got the hint and would leave. She did not want to here anything he had to say as she was sure she would not like it. Although it was getting harder to turn him away.
And looking at the two sleeping men, she knew she could not go with them. She could not stay with them or see Toph again. She could not stay with Zuko either, although she could stay in the Fire Nation, she was not sure she wanted to. It was too hot for her liking.
So she would leave. She would take whatever she could, maybe steal some money and leave. She did not want to stay with any of them, they would all judged her. She did not want that.
Carefully she got to her feet and kissed each one on the cheek. She would not leave them a message, she would just sneak off into the night and get away. She knew they would not look for her, after all she had done to them, and she did not want them to look for her.
With a glance back, she left them sleeping and made her way to Zukos room. Though she had not spoken to him in three days, it did not mean she did not want to say goodbye. She, in some strange way, cared about him. And she did want to see him one last time.
It was not hard for her to find her way there. Once someone got used to the Palace, everything was easy to find and she was at his door in minutes.
She was quiet as she entered and could see him in the bed. As she approached she noticed that he was on his back, at least half naked and she smiled. She had enjoyed sleeping next to him, he was always so warm and when he held her... She sighed, it was so nice.
Katara sat on the bed and moved the hair away from his face. She stroaked his burn-free cheek and blew him a kiss. "Bye" she whispered as she stood up again.
She had never been on her own before, but she was sure she would be alright.
"You can't leave" she was half way to the door when he spoke. She did not turn around, knowing that if she did, she would be lost in his gaze.
"Yes I can" she whispered. "I won't stay here and be... a thing" she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
She heard him shift and step on the floor. He did not approach her, so she stayed where she was. "You won't be a... thing" he assured.
Against her better judgement, she turned and looked at him. He had just the sheet wrapped around his lower half, and she could see his creamy skin in the low light. She smiled as nice thoughts entered her mind, but it quickly faded. "You never told me what I would be" she pointed out.
"What do you want to be?" he asked as he took a step closer to her but she did not back off.
She paused a moment. "I want..." she took a deep breath. "I want..." a tear fell from her eye as Zuko took another step forward. "I want to be treated with respect, I don't want to be embaraced to walk around." she blushed slightly. "I don't want people to whisper about me... I want to be loved..." she did not realize that in her tirade, he had taken more steps towards her and when she realized, he was standing in front of her.
"Is that all?" he asked with a smile as he took her arms and brought him towards his body. She resisted at first, but then fell into him. "Do you think you'll make it out there?" he asked.
"I don't know.. but I won't stay here" she pushed against him. "I hate hearing the whispers, I hate the way people look at me and what they say... especially my brother ..."
Zuko hugged her and rubbed her back. "Then don't listen to them..."
"Thats easy for you to say, they don't talk about you... well bad things anyways" she grinned and he could tell that it would take some work to get her to tell him what she had heard. "They don't say things about..." she was cut off when he kissed her.
She resisted at first. It was not that they had not kissed before, but usually only when they had sex, in the heat of the moment. This was, something completely different. She felt his arms around her back and finally gave into his will. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled when his tongue licked her lips. She met his tongue with hers and they played in each others mouths a moment before Katara broke away.
"Wha..." she focused her eyes on him. "What was that?" she asked.
"I ... felt like kissing you" he grinned. "And I wanted to tell you something" he persed his lips together. "I have missed sleeping beside you" he whispered. "I've missed you and every time you would not speak to me, it felt like you were stabbing me" She moved her mouth but no words came out. He pecked her lips. "I just wanted you to know that"
"I don't know what to say" she blushed. "Does this mean... you have feelings for me?" she coyly asked.
He sighed "There is no need to hide it from you anymore... you aren't sticking around" She tried to move away but he held her close. "If I was really cruel, I lock you up in the dungeon or tie you to the bed..." There was something behind his smile that she did not understand.
"Zuko..." she let her hands drop to his biceps. She sighed. "What will I be?" she asked.
He looked down. "Does it matter?" she tensed and wanted to move away. "You'd be here, in the Palace, with everything at your disposal. What more do you need?"
She looked him in the eyes and was lost in their golden gaze. "I won't be just a thing to you.. something you can disguard. I want more than that, and if you can't give it to me.. I will find someone else" she took a deep breath and pushed against him again.
But Zuko held her firmly. "You won't be a thing. And you know you won't find anyone else as charming as I." he smirked.
She closed her eyes. "But I don't want to stay.." she whispered.
He leaned down to her ear. "Yes, you do" he bit her ear lobe and felt the skin on her arms raise in bumps.
"No..." she tried to convince them both.
"Yes" he told her with more authority. "You can't undermine me"
She took deep breaths as he began kissing her neck. "I... don't.. want..." she gasped as he bite her neck.
"This isn't a debate" he told her while still kissing her neck. He kissed her jaw then her lips but she would not kiss him back. He frowned. "Don't be like that" he held her chin with his finger and thumb. "You know you can't resist me, Kat" he saw her smirk at her pet name. "Just ..." he pecked her lips. "Give in"
This time she did not resist him, she hugged him fiercely and moaned when thier tongues met. It did not take much to convince her out of her clothing and into his bed. He kissed, bit, and licked all over her body so her moans were constant and when he climaxed inside her it was with the force of a thousand volcanoes. It left her breathless and form the look in her eyes, he knew that she would not be going anywhere, not that she really ever had a choice.