Sorry it took so long for me to update! Things have been extremely crazy, my mistake. Here you go!
Seconds after their lips met, the wall exploded. Zuko threw her back, his eyes zeroed in on the large, circular hole, and kept an arm flung out, shielding her. He felt something cool and wet lick the length of his arm, and knew that she was reassuring him with her water- it made him smile as he got into his stance.
Then Uncle and the Avatar stepped out. He dropped his guard as he felt himself being squeezed half to death, and saw that Katara was giving Aang the same treatment- he also noticed the glare on Aang's face, and felt an answering sneer come across his own features. The water bender let him go and took a step back as Iroh retreated, watching the scene with a small grin on his features.
"Aang, I remember now. About Zuko, about what happened on the Fire Nation ship- everything. And I want you to know that it wasn't your fault, what made me lose my memory." The young man's face filled with disbelief and horror as she stepped back further, lacing her fingers through Zuko's. "He wants to be with me, and I want to be with him too. We can help each other-" A cold laugh came from above them, and they all whipped around, her monologue interrupted by the appearance of Azula and a Dai Li agent. Zuko felt hate constrict his throat and growled deep in his chest, pulling Katara behind him protectively.
"Katara, get out of here, now!" he whispered vehemently, and she took a breath, protesting- he shoved her back as green crystals shot up from the ground she'd been standing on. "Get Aang and go!" he yelled, readying himself. A moment later, Iroh yelled in shock- his body was encased in bright green rock, his arms bound and his head the only thing that was free. Azula jumped down from her perch as Zuko's heart beat frantically- get Uncle out or go help Katara? It took him only a moment to decide, he turned to Iroh's imprisoned form.
"Ah-ah-ah, Zuzu, not a good idea. See, you're going to want to listen to what I have to say. I have more than one hundred Dai Li agents stationed in the area you have just sent your little girlfriend and the Avatar- yes, I know about her. I always have- you might want to make sure you keep your next forbidden relationship a secret from your crew, they were easily persuaded to tell Zhao about what you had done, and he was very easily persuaded to tell me," she intoned, grinning wickedly. Blue fire sparked at his fingertips, and he flinched, keeping his face free of all emotion. She continued, "Now, right now those agents have orders to kill the Avatar and his friends on sight- with your help, I can make certain she survives to live another day. Join me, leave behind this traitor you call Uncle and let go of your silly feelings for her. Save her, and then forget her and come back to your destiny."
He hissed at her, furious and trapped- in the back of his mind he was cursing her because he knew she had him, but he was torn- leave them behind to save her life, or die fighting with them only to lose her forever? "Why are you doing this?" he shot at her, and she frowned, her eyes pitiful- a lie.
"I can't do this without you, Zuko. The royal family needs you, the Fire Nation needs you. As heir to the throne, you are a vital part of the future, and you must choose the destiny you were born for. I leave it to be your choice, but I suggest you act quickly- or her blood will forever be on your hands." She walked out of the room slowly; leaving him slumped on the floor in internal agony.
"Zuko." His uncle's voice startled him. "You must choose the right path- fight with Katara and Aang, if you die, you die in honor. Please, do not allow yourself to be led from the path of good by your sister. Azula always lies, remember?" The world stood still as he felt a burst of intuition- if he saved her now, he would be in a position to keep her safe later. He could make sure the Avatar was alive by getting in Azula's way- he'd make it look accidental, and then when he was home he would be able to keep a close eye on Azula and keep his Katara safe. He stood up and went to the old man, who struggled under the watchful eye of a single earth bender and looked him in the eye, pleading him to understand what he was really trying to say.
"You stupid old man. I am going to fight along my sister, you heard her, and the Fire Nation needs me! I will not betray the crown." he said spitefully, but his eyes begged Iroh to play along- the man lowered his head in fake defeat and disgust, and let his nephew run out of the room.
The scene he ran into was awful- Azula had one arm trained on Aang, and the other two fingers of her right, more powerful hand, were aimed straight at Katara's heart. They were at an impasse, one he prayed to Agni that Katara would forgive him for breaking. He ran up and without hesitation moved into his stance, aiming at Azula- her golden eyes narrowed, and the Avatar breathed a short sigh of relief before Zuko switched positions blindingly fast and fired a ball of flame at the boy- he dodged it with a yell and fought back, and all hell broke loose.
She did not let the tears fall from her eyes, she couldn't let the pain distract her- across the floor was the boy she loved, and his hot fire lashed at her again and again as she countered each stroke with a water whip. A primal roar tore itself from her throat- "I thought you changed!" she screamed at him, and in an instant her concentration was lost- she saw a line of fire coming straight for her right arm and knew there was no time to shield from it- and then it swayed upward, missing her completely. She looked back to Zuko in confusion; saw the pain on his face.
"I have changed!" he yelled, and she started- she knew what that meant. Back when she had been his prisoner, she had paid close attention to the way he spoke, the way he lied when he didn't want to talk about something. If he was asked a question and he didn't want to answer it, he'd repeat the words as a comeback and storm off- she had followed him once, and he had told her everything. This couldn't be a coincidence- but where could they talk in private? Her eyes swung around wildly, and out of the corner of her eye she saw something brilliant and blue raging towards her- she put up a water wall but Azula's fire was too much, it knocked her off her feet and into the green crystals behind her, and suddenly she couldn't move her body.
He watched in horror as she flew backwards, and put a hand on Azula's arm. "You promised!" he bellowed, and her eyes narrowed, looking exasperated.
"If she's already taken out, the Dai Li agents will not attack her. Really, now, you got stupider, Zuzu." She muttered scathingly, and he watched as she turned around, firing at the Avatar as he sat down and pulled crystals from the ground to cover himself fully- a strangely familiar white light began glowing as Dai Li agents appeared from the walls, surrounding them all, and Zuko knew he didn't have much time- he ran to where his love lay, just coming to, and kissed her swiftly. His hands fumbled in his pockets for a moment as he whispered in her ear.
"I know you think I'm betraying you, but I'm doing this to save you- I'll explain someday, please trust me on this and wait for me, please Katara I'm so sorry." Her blue eyes opened and she nodded slightly, then gasped when he pulled her mother's necklace from his sleeve- he caressed her face and committed her expression to memory before kissing her and leaving her there, clutching her mother's necklace and watching him as he bounded back into the fight as Aang rose up in the air- he was in the Avatar state, she knew they would be okay and a small smile flitted across her lips.
And suddenly, lightning erupted in the sky, piercing Aang's back and bringing a scream from her lips. In a second she was rushing towards him on a wave, tears flying from her eyes as she took down all who stood in her way. She caught him and whimpered- no pulse. She watched in horror as Azula began to laugh, facing Katara with a perfect stance as Zuko stepped forward, trying to protect her from his sister as she made ready to attack, to break the promise that had bound him to her service.
A wall of fire sprang up, knocking them back as Iroh touched down in front of Katara and Aang's still form and yelled at them to get out of there. She acted without thinking, just let the water guide her- it spiraled around their bodies and rose up from under their feet, propelling them into the sky, through the hole they'd made earlier in the ceiling.
The second they were safe, Iroh calmed his chakra and surrendered, the great general standing with dignity as earth benders captured him. Zuko watched in sadness as the one man he trusted with his life was taken away, without a glance towards his conflicted nephew.
Katara uncorked the vial, praying to Yuen that it would be enough to bring her best friend back to life- the water glowed blue, the same shade of Azula's fire, and she shuddered, feeling the power radiating from the cold liquid that felt almost alive. She leaned Aang's body forward as her brother held Toph, tears slowly leaking from her blind, scared eyes, and pressed the water to his wound. She felt a deep pain rack through his body and bit her lip, holding him close as she felt his arrow glowing- he took a shallow breath, and her heart lifted as his heart began to beat on its own.
When Aang was resting comfortably and Sokka had taken Appa's reins, directing him towards their father's camp, she pulled her mother's necklace from her pocket and tied it around her throat, remembering Zuko's last words to her. It won't be long, she thought, until he comes back. I just have to wait. He loves me- he'll return, I know he will. Her eyes closed against the tears, she knew she had to be stronger if she was going to get through whatever happened next.
Hope you liked it! Please review, and check out my other stories! Thanks!