Sorry for such a late chapter! I really, really am! Ugh, I had terrible writer's block and quarter finals at school! Well, this one is short, but I hope you like it.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. (Stupid Mike and Bryan. They won't let fans do anything...)

Chapter Eight: Welcome Back

Her round eyes fluttered open, and a yawn escaped her jaws. She sniffed, then looked around, noticing the sunlight that lit her warm face. "Am I..." she began. Suddenly, she heard a cry behind her.

Turning her head, she saw Katara running towards her, screaming, "Liz, you're awake!"

- - -

"K...Katara?" Liz wondered. "Is th-that you?" Katara slid on her knees and wrapped her arms around Liz.

"Liz, thank goodness you're awake!" she said with her voice muffled, her face buried in Liz's shoulder.

"Katara...What happened?" Liz asked, trying to remember the events of days before. She held her heavy head, feeling slightly dazed.

"I'll tell you later," Katara said, getting up. "Right now, I have to tell Aang you're awake!"

Liz coughed and mumbled, "Hold on. I'm coming with you..."

Katara quickly turned around, gasping, "Liz, don't-" But, it was too late. Liz had pulled back the cover on top of her to reveal the light brown spot that covered her legs. Her eyes grew wide, and she began to choke with shock. Katara kneeled down once more, trying to calm Liz down. "Liz-Liz, it's okay!" she whispered in motherly voice. "You're fine!"

Liz looked at her with wet eyes. "Tell me what happened..." Every word sounded like it's own sentence. Katara bit her lip and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by Aang, who'd come to tell her about breakfast.

"Liz?" he asked, his face confused. "You're awake!" He smiled at her with teeth shining bright, but Liz was so shocked, she couldn't return the favor. Katara turned to Aang, a frown was stretched underneath her blue eyes. "Oh..." Aang breathed, understanding. He walked towards the two girls and sat down next to Katara. "I wish Zuko was here to help," he groaned to himself.

"What do you remember?" Katara asked. Worry shown everywhere on her dark face.

Liz tried to prop herself up on her elbows, but could only succeed with one. "Uh," she grunted. "I...I remember watching you and turning to see that guard, I'm guessing, behind me. Then...nothing." She sniffed again. "Wait!" Liz suddenly exclaimed. "How long w-was I out?" Katara bit her lip again.

"Three days."

Rage began to well up inside of her, and Liz's face turned red. "Three days?" she mouthed. Aang nodded, and so did Katara. With her free hand, Liz clutched her stomach, suddenly feeling sick. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The warm air dried the top palate of her mouth. "Well...What happened after I went down?"

"That's where Zuko came in," Aang replied.

"Zuko?" Liz asked. That quiet guy? She thought to herself. Aang nodded. "What do you mean?"

Aang pursed his slim lips, staring at the floor. "He kind of...Well, he saw you fall, I guess, so he ran down from the ship, and-"

"And he finished off the guards," Katara finished. Her glossy eyes still clung to worry.

"He...He finished them off?" Liz asked. She shook her head, trying to make sense of the things she was being told.Suddenly, a wave of dizziness knocked into her. Liz moaned and whispered, "Katara, c-can I please have some water. I'm really thirsty..." Katara nodded, then quickly brought her fingers together, grabbing a stream of water and holding it in the air. Liz's dry mouth quickly caught the soft stream, and she forced it down quickly.

"She's dehydrated," Aang announced. "Hand her the canteen." Katara reached over and grabbed the seal skin pouch of water and put in Liz's weak hand. The girl drank it all very quickly, savoring the coolness that filled her mouth. Her burning throat welcomed the water as it went down, drenching the sides.

Wiping her mouth, Liz asked for more. As Katara left, she mouthed "three days". She drew in short breaths, trying to hold back the lump that grew in her throat. "A-Aang, can you please get me some f-fruit? I'm hungry." Aang nodded and got up to retrieve the mangos near the fire pit.

Katara returned with more water, and Liz glugged thatdown, too. After two more trips to the fountain, Liz finally asked Katara, "Katara, c-can you help me up?" Katara held out a dark hand, and Liz reached up, grabbing it with large fingers. Using her arm, Liz pushed against the dusty floor, actually managing to lift herself up. Her shaky knees began to wobble, and she fell back down. "I th-think I might h-have forgotten how to w-walk," Liz stammered with a slight grin. Katara smiled back, helping her up once more. Finally, the burned girl took her first step in three days. Then another, and another.

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It wasn't until another sun had risen and fallen that Sokka and Zuko returned. Strangers and family came with them, too.

Aang, Toph, Katara, and Liz were sitting around the fire pit when the large war ship arrived. Aang heard it first, then Toph felt it hit. All heads turned to see a balloon-looking thing land on the ruin floor, and Sokka was the first to step out, a beautiful girl holding his bony hand.

The boy held his head high, and his chest was out. A look of accomplishment spread across his face as he walked towards the group smiling. "Sokka!" Katara called, running towards her brother with open arms. She flung them around him, and the others followed.

"Hey, guys!" he replied with a broad smile. "You remember Suki, right?"

"Of course," Katara said, hugging the warrior at Sokka's side. "Great to see you again, Suki."

A more heart-warming reunion came with Katara and her father, a handsome man with a brusque voice that remained trapped in your head. She hugged him, eyes wet with tears of joy. The embrace lasted a long time, and it was such a lovely moment.

Zuko, on the other hand, walked out, fists clenched and Mai still fresh on his mind. The look of her long, black hair with sheen and gloss shining bright off of it. Her voice kept repeating in his head, and he couldn't get it out."Saving the jerk who dumped me..."The beautiful monotone rang again and again. His eyes glued to the ground, he didn't notice that Liz was back on her feet again.

"How was the trip, Zuko?" Aang asked, eager for more training with his teacher.

The prince rolled his amber eyes and glanced in the airbender's direction, opening his mouth to answer. But, instead of a short reply, he caught sight of Liz greeting Suki. "Liz?" he asked. The girl reluctantly turned to face him, forcing a meek smile.

Wincing once more at his terrible scar, she managed to bare her buck teeth and sharp canines. "You're walking!" Zuko whispered to himself, hoping no one noticed the excitement in his raspy voice.

"Hey, Zuko..." Liz said, waving her shaky hand. She was still frightened by the harshness in his voice.

Zuko cleared his throat. "It's...um...nice to see that you're better. When did you wake up?" He walked near her, and, without thinking, Liz slowly backed away.

She stuck her tongue in her cheek, thinking. "Yesterday, actually," she finally admitted.

Zuko nodded, not knowing what to say afterwards. Suddenly, a hand grabbed Liz's arm, and she turned to see Suki tugging on her sleeve and pulling her to the fountain room. "What do you need, Suki?" Liz asked in a polite voice.

"Well, since you've been out for a while, Katara and I thought you might enjoy some girlie chatting," she whispered with a wide grin smeared across her gorgeous face. Liz's eyes glanced at Katara and saw that see was nodding, a smile present on her lips, as well. Liz rolled her eyes and thought, What the heck? She grinned back and followed the two to the fountain. Toph snorted as they left the room. "Sissies..."