Hello! Agni, I'm so sorry I've been so busy and involved in a whole bunch of other shenanigans :S Contrary to what I said in the last drabble, this will be the last one. There is just no point in trying to finish. Oh well. I had tons of fun writing these, and I want to thank Sonja Schreiber once again for being the best Beta anyone could ask for. I want to thank all of you for subscribing and reading my poorly written work, and for encouraging me :D I am working on several projects, so hopefully I can get those one soon!

Thanks again! MagicalBender

Mistake

Though the arrow barely missed his heart, it still did what it sent to do. Chaos ensued within the crowd in a attempt to capture the archer. The soldiers went into a frenzy to protect their Fire Lord and to get him to the Royal healers as soon as possible. The parade that was meant to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Fire Lord's reign, soon turned into a search for the would be assassin and a faithful assembly, praying for the Fire Lord's life.

The palace was in disarray, with servants scurrying around to look for any available physician and the rest of the staff just panicking over the attempted assassination of their master. Many of the older more traditional servants began to light candle and chant prayers. Only a miracle could save the Fire Lord from an assassin's poisoned arrow.

More commotion arose when the Avatar's bison was spotted landing in the courtyard. The soldiers informed the Avatar and the rest of his group what had happened. They had barely mentioned the poison, when Fire Lord's fiancé had jumped down the bison and was halfway to his bedroom.

Aang wanted to watch the parade with bird's eye view, and had invited the rest of the Gaang to accompany him to see "Zuko look like a tiny ant." Only Katara and Suki had agreed, and separated from the rest. They knew something had gone wrong when they couldn't see Zuko any longer.

Please don't let it be too late, Katara silently begged as she ran down the hallways. Yue, Tui and La, please keep him alive.

Zuko was barely holding on. His vision came and left, his head was throbbing and no signal seemed to be reaching his body each time he attempted to move. He didn't know what had happened; one moment he was waving to hi s people, completely dumbstruck at their adoration, then next, an explosion of excruciating pain almost blinding him. The only thing he could register at that moment was the familiar sound of an angry earth bender yelling at the healers, and a very concerned water tribesmen trying to hold her back from harming anyone in her tirade.

Katara threw the doors open and ran to Zuko's bedside, pushing the working healers and even Toph and Sokka aside.

"Zuko! Zuko love," Katara frantically called to him and held his hand. "Say something, just to let me know you're still here."

Zuko the pain was only getting worse, but when he heard her voice he was determined to see her, even if it was the last time. He struggled to open his eyes, but when he did, Katara's vivid and troubled eyes were looking back at him. He tried to smile.

"Katara…"

"It'll be okay," Katara said resolutely, although horror filled her mind at the sight of her injured betrothed. "Zuko, this might hurt a little, but I need to extract the poison. I need to bloodbend. Do you understand?"

Zuko could barely nod.

"Good," Katara said. She took off her coat and turned to Toph. "Get everyone out," She commanded.

"Sure thing Katara," Toph replied in a grim tone that was out of character for the usually brash earthbender. "You heard the future Fire Lady, people! Get out!"

"Sokka, please wait outside with the others," Katara ordered her older brother. "I can't afford to be distracted. This is too risky to have anyone around."

Sokka seemed to hesitate, but seeing the determined look on his sister's face made him consent and close the door behind him as he left.

Katara took a deep breath and focused. It was the middle of the day, so the moon was hidden by the sun's light. This did not discourage Katara, though. The moon was still there, she just had to search for it.

She felt the faint pulse of the moon. Yue, Katara silently prayed, please give me strength. She put her hand on Zuko's chest, the same way she did all those years ago after Azula's lightening hit him.

His veins were filled with blood, being intoxicated by the poisonous concoction that pierced him. She had to do this quickly, or she wouldn't be able to separate blood from venom. There was no room for mistakes.

She grabbed a knife she always kept with her. She made a small cut on the largest vein she could see, big enough to get the poison out, but small enough to heal with minimal scaring. Then she began the risky procedure.

She sought the liquid of the poison. Once she could feel the water that was contaminated, she began to move the poison through his veins. Katara had never felt more grateful for taking healing classes in the North, where they taught her the human circulatory system. The veins were tiny and delicate, the poison barely making it through in one bubble. She forced herself to be perfectly still for the fear that any simple movement possibly resulting in losing her control over the pollution in Zuko's blood.

Slowly, but surely, a long thin line of purple, slightly viscous liquid came out of the cut Katara made earlier. Katara went over Zuko's body three times, to make sure she didn't leave any substance behind. She didn't stop until all of it was out.

She quickly disposed of it an empty bowl. Later on, the investigators might use it to find whoever had done this. Katara healed the little cut in Zuko's arm.

"Zuko?" she gently whispered. She held his hand, and sat on a stool next to the bed, fighting off the exhaustion from the energy draining procedure.

Zuko felt the haze lift, but the dizziness just increased. Somewhere in the middle of his foggy thoughts, Katara's melodic voice found him.

"Katara?"

"Zuko, how are you feeling?"

He didn't answer for a moment. Katara began to believe that he must have passed out, or fallen asleep again.

"Like you knocked me down again, the same way when we fought in the siege of the North." Zuko opened his eyes, and forced his eyes to concentrate. He smiled wryly at Katara.

Katara, despite the severity of what just happened, laughed. She threw herself onto Zuko, and began to pepper kisses all over his face. When she was just close enough, Zuko caught her lips with his.