"Get up!" the Fire Lord snarled, kicking his son in the stomach.

Zuko coughed up a spurt of blood. He held his face in agony. He had been burned again; his entire forehead felt like it was on fire. Zuko struggled to his feet.

"For the final blow," said the Fire Lord through his gritted teeth. Mai sobbed aloud and turned to bury her face in Azula's shoulder.

"Be strong, Mai," Azula murmured, placing her arm around her friend's shoulders. After the duel started, Azula knew she couldn't possibly take out her plan. Curse these feelings! She thought. She would just have to wait until her father died naturally. She would not kill her brother. She couldn't possibly.

From where he stood, Zuko decided he would not give up just yet. He refused to. He quickly rolled on his knees and kicked a blast of fire at his father. The Fire Lord's robes instantly ignited. They were stamped out immediately. Zuko jumped to his feet, despite his excruciating pain, and dodged the blue flames the Fire Lord mercilessly shot at him.

"Get back here, boy," the Fire Lord sneered. Zuko was cornered, being pushed up against the wall. Ozai held his hand forward, ready to kill his only son. Zuko closed his eyes, preparing for the pain of the melting of his skin. There was a loud swish. Cool water splashed on Zuko's face, briefly soothing his burn. Zuko opened his eyes.

The Fire Lord's hand had been whipped back by a rope of water. Zuko's eyes widened. That could only mean one thing...

"I thought you needed a little help," said the waterbending peasant, giving Zuko a small smile.

"Thanks," he muttered, furious that he would be indebted to the girl that was once his enemy.

"Don't mention it," she whispered as she dodged a flash of fire. It was the Fire Lord.

Toph, the blind earthbending girl, was busy throwing chunks of metal at onlookers. People screamed and ran for cover. The water peasant's sibling came running in, baring his boomerang and trying to look menacing. He merely looked like an idiot.

"Hey, Prince Pain in the Butt!" the earthbender shrieked at Zuko. "Are you just going to stand there or what?"

Zuko immediately took action. He tried to help, though the tapestries were on fire; the smoke made him choke. He thought he saw his father ahead of him. He shot some flames at him. It turned out to be Mai. She stumbled to the ground.

"Damn it!" Zuko cursed. He bent to put out the fire on her robes and helped her up. "Mai? Mai, I'm so sorry." Her eyes were glazed in pain.

"What have you done?" someone demanded. Zuko looked up to see Azula.

"I didn't mean to! I thought that..."

"Go," said Azula dangerously.

"But-," said Zuko.

"Go!"

Zuko scrambled to his feet and raced into the hallway. The Fire Lord was there battling the Water Tribe siblings. Zuko pressed his way through the dozens of guards to meet the peasants in the center.

"What took you so long?" Sokka demanded icily, dodging a spurt of fire.

"I...Mai," Zuko mumbled, turning to face his father.

"I still haven't forgiven you," Sokka shot at Zuko, jumping back to narrowly avoid a chunk of metal that Toph was launching at the Fire Lord. "Aang almost died!"

Zuko almost fell over in surprise. "The Avatar? He's still alive?"

Even the Fire Lord stopped torching them, briefly, to mimic his son by crying out, "He's still alive?"

"Azula's good," Sokka admitted, throwing his boomerang. "But not that good."

"The Avatar is alive," Zuko murmured to himself, utterly shocked. The world isn't completely doomed.

"Well," the Fire Lord sneered, "if he's alive, than why isn't he here?" The smoke was thick and the firebenders were pressing Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph further down the hall. Katara, the waterbender, was gasping for breath.

"He...he didn't want to come," Sokka yelled over the uproar. "He had more important things to do!"

"Don't lie to me, peasant," said the Fire Lord. "I know the truth. If he's not dead, then he is hurt badly. Sick even? Yes...I can tell by the look on your face." He shot some sparks at Katara, who was still coughing under all the smoke.

They were out into the courtyard now. It was impossible for Zuko to see; the world was burning all around him. Suddenly there was a flash of yellow and orange. For a moment, Zuko thought it was just another flame, but when the Avatar landed a few feet away from him, Zuko knew he had been wrong.

"Where's Katara?" Aang shrieked. Sokka flashed by, chasing Ty Lee with a boomerang.

Suddenly the Fire Lord was right behind Aang, breathing down his neck. The Avatar spun around, looking horrified. "You're too late, Avatar." Suddenly Katara was falling. Zuko dove out and caught her before her head hit the ground. Her eyes were closed...She wasn't breathing.

Aang cried out in anguish. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" He shoved Zuko out of the way to bend down and cradle Katara's head. "Katara," he murmured. "Katara, wake up." No response. Aang kissed her still lips. "Katara!" he sobbed. "KATARA!" People continued to fight around him. Aang didn't even look up. Tears dripped down his cheeks into the dirt. He kissed her again.

Zuko watched the Avatar hunch over Katara's still form. He hadn't realized that the Avatar was actually in love with the waterbender. He suddenly felt sad. He knew what it was like to lose a loved one. He turned away; this wasn't for him to see. Turning, he saw Sokka running up, his face blank and terribly pale. His mouth moved, though no sound came out. He numbly sank to his knees, ignoring the fact that Aang kept kissing her.

"No," Sokka murmured, his eyes already filling up. "No. She can't be dead..."

Iroh suddenly appeared. He gently pulled the Avatar back to take a look at Katara. He took her pulse, kneeling down at her side. "She's not dead."

"She's not?" Aang asked, his eyes wide and hopeful. He wiped away his tears. "But I thought...In my dream she was..."

"She's only unconscious," said Iroh. "Not dead. It must have been the smoke. We need to get her out of here. Zuko, pick her up." Zuko didn't argue. He bent down and picked up her still form. He tucked her head beneath her chin, protecting her from the flames.

"We need to get out of here!" Sokka exclaimed. "Follow me!"

Aang picked up his staff and said, "Where's Toph?"

"Right behind you Twinkle Toes!" she cried. They all fled out of the courtyard, the flames hot on their heels. Aang took out his bison whistle and blew, praying that Appa could hear it from wherever he was. Sure enough, the giant fluffy monster circled down to block the dying sun.

They all climbed aboard, though Zuko had more difficultly than the rest. Sokka didn't even argue when Zuko laid Katara down on the saddle and tilted her head back and breathed into her mouth. He wasn't really sure if he was doing anything, he was only remembering how Iroh had breathed into Mai's mouth when she had almost drowned in the turtle-duck pond.

He pressed down on her chest. Nothing. Sokka and Aang watched with wide, curious eyes as Zuko bent down and tried again. This time she gasped. Her eyes shot open. And she screamed.

Zuko jumped, clamping his hands over his ears. "What is she doing?" he cried.

"He had his filthy lips on me!" Katara shrieked. "Didn't you see him?"

"Katara," said Sokka gently, "he just saved your life."

Katara was breathing heavily, looking absolutely disgusted. Zuko turned away. I'm not that awful, am I? he was thinking.

Aang started laughing. Everyone looked at him except for Toph, of course, who couldn't see anything. Tears suddenly started running down his cheeks. "Katara!" he gasped. "The look on your face is just priceless." Iroh and Sokka started chuckling. Even Zuko cracked a smile. Toph, on the other hand, didn't find any of this funny considering she couldn't see any of it. Aang choked on a laugh. "To think! She thought Zuko was kissing her!"

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Zuko laid down on the back of the flying bison. He watched the clouds soar overhead. He was finally away from the Fire Nation. He knew that he could never turn back. There was no way they would ever accept him again, not after what had happened. He breathed. Now he didn't have a choice. He would stay with his uncle to help the Avatar, even if it killed him to do so. Out of all the amazing things that had happened in that single day, the one thing that surprised him the most was that Azula let him escape. Azula! He shook his head, completely baffled. Not only that but he was only a foot away from the Avatar and he hadn't even tried to kill him yet. Zuko was just too tired to care. He remembered what his uncle said not too long ago: A man needs his rest. Yes, Zuko agreed.

"Zuko?" a voice asked. It was the water peasant.

"What?" he mumbled, not bothering to raise his head.

"You're burned," she told him simply. She bended some water out of the pouch at her hip. "Hold still." He did as he was told and she slid her silvery hand across his forehead. He sighed as she pulled her hand away. The pain had gone. Just like that! Zuko then looked down at his raw wrists. He wordlessly raised them to the waterbender. She instantly healed them.

He didn't thank her; he merely nodded and turned away. He was still furious that Katara would think he had been kissing her. To think! He had been saving her life. And she repaid him by screaming in his face! He burned with anger. Stupid waterbending peasant.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I...I was just a little dazed. I didn't realize what had happened. But I do want to thank you..."

Zuko bowed his head and said nothing. He only sat up and looked out over the edge of the bison. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. He didn't want to talk to her. He was already tired of seeing her face.

"Zuko, you have changed," Katara said, astonished. He didn't reply.

"Prince Zuko," said Iroh. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"No," said Zuko angrily. He could already feel his hands heating up. Sure he had stood up to his father, but that didn't mean he wanted to join the Avatar!

"You don't have to be angry anymore, Prince Zuko. You need to find peace with the Avatar; but mostly, you need to find peace within yourself," his uncle told him. "You're away from the Fire Nation! You're free from your own prison, both literally and figuratively."

"I know Uncle," Zuko replied. "It's just..." Zuko glanced at the Avatar, whom of which Katara was busy fussing over. "It's just so soon. I've spent such a long time chasing them, and it is hard to believe that I have...well...joined him."

"Hey, Hothead," said Toph, sticking her finger in his face. "Having you here isn't exactly a walk in the part for us either, but we're not complaining. If we were too uncomfortable, we wouldn't have come here to rescue you. We never would have done it either if Iroh hadn't agreed to teach Aang firebending."

Zuko ignored her but he knew she was right. He might as well get used to it. After all, they did rescue him.

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The Earth King paced nervously. It had been days since he had last seen the Avatar. He had already run out of fish and had taken to eating nothing but berries. He was worried that something awful had happened to them. He was debating whether to take Bosco and leave the woods once and for all. He didn't have to think long because the sun was blocked out like an eclipse. He sharply turned his head up to see the Sky Bison lower over the treetops. All of their faces were cheery, except for the young man with the burn on his face; he did not look cheerful at all.

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Aang sighed with relief. His sweet Katara was safe and sound and he had gotten a firebending teacher in the deal. He was a step closer to defeating the Fire Lord and overthrowing the Fire Nation. Yes, he could relax for now. Even Zuko's presence couldn't bring him down.

Aang stole a glance at Katara, smiling slightly. He didn't think he would ever be able to get over her. She was just far too pretty and far too kind for him to forget her. Not only that, but she was one of the first girls he ever recalled seeing. To him, she was the only one.

"Hey, lover boy," a voice said, pulling Aang from his thoughts. Aang turned to look at Sokka.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Aang asked, a smile still on his lips.

Sokka crossed his arms and gave Aang a stern look. "I'm not going to forget what you did to my sister."

"Huh?" asked Aang. "What are you talking about?"

"I only allowed it because we all thought she was dead," said Sokka, his arms still crossed. "But don't you think that you'll get away with it in the future." Aang's cheeks colored slightly and he turned his head away so Sokka wouldn't see. He had nearly forgotten. Luckily, Katara knew nothing about what had happened while she was unconscious. If she had freaked out over Zuko breathing air into her, then she would be even more freaked out at the prospect of Aang kissing her. Aang laughed at the very thought. No, he would make sure no one would tell her...

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A/N: Forgive me for the romance; I'm not very good at it. I only thought I would lose some readers if I didn't put any in. I don't know, I wanted to try to keep it to how it is in the show. I didn't think it very likely of Zuko and Katara getting together, but I threw in a little for both hardcore Zutara and Kataang fans. Hate me if you like or whatever. Please review and give me your thoughts. If it is too god-awful, then I'll redo it.