Hm. Ya know how Zuko always saves Katara? Well, I mixed it up again. :D A bit more of a story-ish, happier one. Italics are memories from the past, that happened, just to let you know.

Howling winds and piercing rain stabbed the little gang everywhere, as they traveled through the hurricane on poor Appa who grunted as they desperately searched for land.

Theirs screams were hollow in the storm, thunder and lightning booming behind them.

"Everyone hang on!"

Making their way to the Fire Nation would only be a tiny bit of the challenge, but the weather was not having mercy. Just like everything they encounter.

Sokka held the saddle, one hand holding his sister's and another on the Dragon of the West's arm. Iroh held the soaked lemur in his arms, who was burrowing into his robes searching for any place to hide. The Water Tribe warrior narrowed his eyes, unable to see through the frenzy of rain. His sister was trying to escape her brother's grasp to bend the water, but he did not allow it.

No matter how powerful she was, the storm will always be stronger than her.

The banished prince was not enjoying this. When Zuko's wet firebending hands slipped away when a huge tidal wave surged over them, soaking everyone's senses away, he gave a sharp scream of pain.

Next thing he knew, he was falling. Falling. Falling.

Flinging his arms wildly for anything to grab, he shut his eyes to take the pain from the rain away.

Thunder roared behind them, the Spirits telling them just how weak mortal really were.

Stinging rain crashed against their skin like knives, their eyes red with pain. Zuko had never thought of his fate to end like this, but took it anyway. But as he felt the air escape from under him, his voice would not hide, no matter how much he wanted it to.

He screamed out the first name, that flew out of his lips.

"Katara!"

Then he felt it. The ocean engulfed him, taking him under and claiming him as it's own. It felt like it was ripping his limbs off, bruising him all over his pale body. The water suffocated him, reaching into his lungs and stole the oxygen from his body.

He remembered her eyes as the blueness took over him. Then, darkness came and the need for air disappeared.
At the sound of her names, her blue eyes burst open. When she saw the one person missing, she gave a gasp nearly choking on the rain. Jerking her hand from her brother's grip, she scrambled to the edge of the saddle.

"What are you doing!? Your going to fall!"

Her brother's call somehow found it's way to her ears over the hollering storm. Lightning crashed dangerously nearer, but she just ignored it, struggling up to her feet while she gripped the handles of the saddle.

"Zuko's in there! I have to save him!"

Everyone's faces went pale, and she silently glanced back but then turned back to the water.

Sokka nodded, quietly knowing the look in her eyes. The Dragon of the West turned to him with worried eyes about his nephew, the rain splattering all over their faces, puncturing theirs hearts and hopes.

Without hesitation, she jumped over the saddle and dived into her element.

Already soaking wet, she landing in the water, bending her way through the waves. Slightly choking and gasping, the world's most powerful water bender was fighting her very own element.

"Zuko!"

Her voice barely carried on, vanishing with the hurling winds and the waves that crashed over her. Everything came to fast, to fast for her to bend away, and she felt like giving in to the water. It held no mercy as she continued to push her way through, slicing through the water.

But she didn't. She kept on looking.

If only minutes passed, it seemed like hours to her, and her muscles grew tired. One mistake, that was all she did, miscalculating the strength of her impossible opponent.

Water, her own strength and weakness, pulled her under the air from her lips escaping along with it.

Under the surface, her purpose in for this mission was remembered, a glimpse of the past coming into her mind, with darkness slowly creeping behind it.

"I'm not leaving you, peasant!"

"Leave! Run! Get the others!"

She lashed out her water whip, attacking the enemies. But instead, Zuko stood behind her, fire and water back to back. Glancing back, ready to scream at him, he only nodded. He blasted a punch of fire, as they skillfully pressed on.

"You fight, then I fight. I'm not leaving you."

She watched him in awe, as he took a moment to give her the slightest smile.

It seemed the world came to a pause, freezing in place. The battle seemed to stop, and they stared into each other's eyes lost in wonder.

With that spark of hope, that small memory of the past giving her a reason to keep going, she thrusted her arms forward. Seperating the air from the water, she created a bubble of air and opened her eyes. After searching, she found him, floating and sinking in the distance.

Bending her way closer to him, she grabbed him by the arm and raised the water under them to the surface. With his arm around her shoulder, her tired body struggling with the weight, she stared into his face which was beginning to awaken with the air. Choking the dreaded water out, he blinked open his sore eyes.

The air began to fill his lungs again, and she just gave him the smallest smile. Creating a block of ice under them to keep them from sinking, she held him in her arms. Hugging and pulling him closer.

The rain began to lighten up, the calmness of the storm appearing. As the light broke free from the storm clouds, and the figure of a bison came closer to retrieve them, she looked down at his now breathing body and whispered to him.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm not leaving you. Not leaving you..."