Sam

Fortunately, Azula knew how to ride a rhino so I rode with her. We had left the palace a few hours ago and were making good time. We would be arriving in Kushitoa soon. On the way, I was formulating a plan. I knew we had to get in the city undetected. Who knew how many people were involved with this. We also brought the ransom along in case we needed it. We arrived outside the city and I signaled everyone to stop. I climbed off the rhino, which was much harder without the help of Zuko, but I managed to stick the landing.

"We are going to go the rest of the way on foot." I pulled out the letter sent to me and showed everyone the map they had included with the location, "we will be working our way there and when we get to the building, we will have to sneak in as much as possible. As soon as we are discovered, fighting will break out. So everyone, be on your toes. They won't expect me to be there. Azula, you and I will lead. I have one rhino with the ransom going straight there along with someone to guard it. To have it there if we need it and to also serve as a distraction. I have no intention on giving it. I know how these people worked. Take the money and not hold up their end of the deal." It was then that Jok spoke up.

"With all due respect, your highness, but I don't think it prudent for you to lead the charge. You are too important as the Fire Lady."

"And Zuko is too important as the Fire Lord. I am going to lead this, no backing out. I will not back down when it comes to my husband." Jok didn't look like he agreed with it, but he didn't question me.

We walked into the city and we arrived at the location. There appeared to be three entrances. I ordered our team to split up and go in through these doors. This building wasn't big, but I suspected he would be on the top of the three floors. I walked in the back door with three of the guards. Azula went in the front door with 4 guards. And Jok went in the side door with 3 guards. We walked in and quickly took out people one by one. Going in the back, I was surprised how many people were in this building. Then, we started hearing yelling and I heard the sounds of bending. They knew we were here.

We quickly worked our way up the steps to the second floor. A tall man made eye contact with me. He reached for his sword and he charged me with it. I stomped down into the stone floor and brought up some large stones. I then sent them at him and soaked him with my water. I was an energy bender. I could convert the bending from one form to another. It was Aang who figured out the type of bender I was. The man was surprised when the water splashed his face and he inadvertently dropped his sword. I then made a fireball and held it close to his face.

"Where is your Fire Lord?" I could see sweat beads on his face rolling down. My fire was hot and he nervously kept his eye on it. He pointed to the stairs.

"U-u-up there. Second door on the left." He said. I smirked and pulled a ball of air and blasted him out of the building into the street. I was sure it would kill him and I didn't care. We weren't leaving any loose ends here. My guards and I cleared out the rooms on the second floor. I saw Azula running up the steps, her face wild. She didn't get to use her firebending in combat these days. It must have felt like stretching her legs.

"First floor is clear, Sam." she said.

"Good work. This floor is clear too. Zuko is upstairs. We can assume there are more people up there than we've seen so far. Let's take them out. I want the leader alive. Everyone else will breathe their last breath today. We aren't leaving any stones unturned. Take the leader. We need answers." I explained. It was that moment that I heard a thud upstairs and realized it was a body that hit the floor. Zuko! I thought right away. We all ran upstairs and were met with four people right off the bat.

Azula blasted one with her firebending sending him flying against the wall, hard, dropping him to the floor like a stone.

One came after me and I blasted him with airbending, sending him backwards to smash against the wall only to land next to his cohort. I ran to the room where I was told Zuko would be. I opened the door and there were several people in the room and someone laying on the floor. I knew that was Zuko. He wasn't moving. Please God, let him be ok, I silently prayed. At this point, I was very angry. I pulled the remaining water out of my pouch and sent ice spikes at them all, every spike hitting their mark. All of them were dead. Except for one. He was the ringleader. I pulled the air and hit him with stone, trapping his hands against the wall.

It was at this point that I looked around the room. There were five or six beddings on the floor. The room smelled foul and I knew that this must have been the house the girls were kept in. But where they were now, I didn't know. I just hoped they were safe. At that point, I banished those thoughts and turned my attention to my husband.

I ran over to Zuko and felt for a pulse. Oh, thank God! He's alive! I thought. He was unconscious though. I wasn't sure what they did, but it knocked him out. At that moment, everyone ran into the room, lead by Azula. She rushed over to her brother.

"Sam! What's wrong with him?!"

"I don't know yet. Is everyone dealt with?" I asked her. She nodded. "Great work, everyone." I held my hand up above Zuko and lit a small fireball in my closed hand. I could feel it burning my skin, but I didn't care. I had my hand closed around it and a small opening in my pinky so I could get a small light. I held it over his eyes and pulled them open. They dilated unevenly.

"Shit. He has a head injury. His eyes aren't right. They must have hit him in the head pretty hard." I said. I turned to everyone.

"Find a nearby doctor. Knock on doors. I don't care what it takes. Find one and bring them here immediately." I ordered. Everyone left except for Jok and Azula. Jok was one of Zuko's best friends and he was concerned about him. I sat down next to Zuko, took his hand in mine and held it to my lips, kissing his fingers and I started to cry. I didn't know how bad the head injury was but it was bad enough. I knew how detrimental they can be. I prayed it would be minor and he would be fine.

It was a few minutes later when two of my guards came in with an elderly man. He was disheveled and disoriented. It WAS the middle of the night, after all. I'm sure he was sleeping.

"I'm sorry to drag you out of bed at such an hour, but this is an emergency. My husband - your Fire Lord…he has a head injury. His eyes aren't dilating evenly. Please tell me you can do something." The man looked at me and turned his attention to his new patient. He examined him as I sat by helplessly and watched. Azula was sitting next to me and Jok was on the other side. He had his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. He was a good man. The doctor finished his examination and turned to me.

"Fire Lord Zuko definitely has a serious head injury but, based on what I'm seeing, I don't see why he won't recover. That is…if he wakes up." My eyes shot up to him and he started to become blurry through my tears.

"IF?! No. No no no no. Doctor, he HAS to wake up. I can't live without him!" I said. I grabbed his hand and was pleading with him.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. I did everything I could."

"Is it safe…to take him home?" The doctor deliberated my question for a moment and then finally answered.

"I think so. I wouldn't take him on those rhinos though."

"No, he came in an airship. We will take that." I stood up, getting ready to give orders. "Will you…come with him to keep an eye on him? We will make sure you get home safely." I asked. No, I begged.

"Yes, of course, Fire Lady. I would be honored to come with you."

"Thank you! Do you have any family at home?" I asked.

"Yes, my wife."

I turned to one of my guards, "Go to our doctor's home and let his wife know what is going on, please." Then I turned to a couple other guards. "Get one of these doors off and load him on it. Please carry him to the airship. Then you and the rest of the guards will have to take the rhinos home. Jok and Azula will be going with me along with the procession that he came with."

Everyone worked quickly and efficiently. Jok, Azula, the doctor and I followed them onto the ship. We walked down the corridors and we passed body after body. It was then that I realized, his whole procession was killed. Jok walked through and covered them all out of respect. Azula and I stayed with Zuko and the doctor. The airship was quickly up and on it's way back to the palace.

We finally arrived at the palace, and the guards carried Zuko to our bedroom and transferred him from the door to the bed. I sent for Fen, our palace physician, right away. When he arrived, our temporary doctor filled him in on what he knew about Zuko. We then sent him home on a rhino, escorted by a guard. Fen did an examination of Zuko and turned to me.

"Well, according to what the doctor said, he is already improving. However, I hate to say this but, I disagree with his assessment. The Fire Lord is not really responding to any external stimuli. We won't know anything until he wakes up which might not be for a couple of more days. I don't think this will be fatal but we won't really know anything until he wakes up." I didn't like hearing this, but I appreciated his honesty. I thanked Fen. He resolved to staying close by Zuko. I had someone set up a cot for him in the bedroom so he could sleep when he wasn't tending to Zuko. I laid on the bed next to him and a small, familiar figured appeared in the doorway. Shit! Izumi! I didn't want her to see her father this way. I quickly got up and ushered her out of the room. Geshna and Shen came up behind her.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, she slipped away from us."

"Mommy, I heard Daddy is home. Where is he?" she asked. She didn't know what to think. I'm guessing she heard some whispers of what happened. I took her to a bench against the wall and sat her down next to me.

"Daddy is home, Izumi, but he isn't feeling well. He needs to rest for a while before you can see him." Izumi did NOT like this answer.

"No, Mommy! I need to see Daddy now! I need to see him! I want to see him!" she started to cry and she buried her face in my bosom. "What do you mean Da-Daddy is sick?"

"He…is sleeping right now, hunny. I promise, as soon as he wakes up, I will come get you. But for now, you must let him rest." I hated to do this to her. She had been waiting for her father to get home and then I disappeared for days and now she can't see him. She started crying even harder.

"No-hohohoho Mommy! I WANNA SEE DADDY! NOOO! DADDY!" I felt sorry for her. I wanted her to see Zuko so badly, but I knew she wouldn't be able to handle his supine body. I started to cry with her. I pulled her back and looked at her face.

"I'm so sorry, Izumi. I wish you could but for right now, you need to let Daddy rest." I said, wiping the tears from her face. She looked up at me, her little eyes wide like saucers.

"Is Daddy going to d-d-die?" My heart broke. The truth was, I wasn't sure. And I couldn't lie to her.

"I hope not, hunny." she closed her eyes and started to cry again. I looked up at Geshna and Shen who also had tears in their eyes. It was then that Azula walked up to us. She knelt down to talk to Izumi.

"Hey squirt." she said simply. She stroked Izumi's hair, trying to comfort her. She looked at me and I, her. She had tears in her eyes too. She was worried about her brother as much as I was. Izumi looked over at her. "Why don't we get some air in the garden, what do you say?" she asked. Izumi deliberated for a moment and clung to me tighter.

"I think you should go with your Aunt Azula. You haven't been out of the palace in a couple of days. Go get some fresh air." I said to her. She reluctantly took Azula's hand and they left. Geshna sat down next to me and place her hand on mine. I looked over at her and I leaned in for an embrace. I needed it and Geshna was a good friend to us. I sobbed. I couldn't handle this. I was so scared for Zuko. I pulled back and stood up.

"I'm…going to go in and stay with Zuko for a bit. I need to be close to him." They nodded and I slipped into the room and closed the door. He was still in the same position as he had been. I had been hoping he would be awake when I came back in. I walked over to him and laid down next to him. Fen looked over at us. He stood up and left the room, giving me time to be with him.

I walked over to him and pulled his boots off. I laid them down next to the bed and started working on his pants. I slid them down off his body and then worked on his shirt. Once I had him fully undressed, I decided to clean him up a bit. I figured he hadn't had a bath since he left the palace and I knew it would feel good to him. Even if he wasn't awake for it. I went over to the bathing room and grabbed a basin. I filled it with water and soap and heated it with my firebending and carried it out to the bedroom. I started to sponge him all over his body. Giving him a thorough cleaning. The only thing I didn't do was his hair. His hair was way too long to try to clean like this, so that will have to wait. I did grab a brush and work my way through it. It was very knotty and a little bit greasy. I pulled the brush out and looked down at it. Was that…blood? I examined his head and found the wound. It was on the back of his head - must have been where they hit him to put him in this state. I took the soapy sponge and cleaned the wound as best as I could. Then I dried him off thoroughly.

I walked over to his clothes and grabbed a pair of his sleeping pants. He always slept with his pants on with no shirt. I worked the pants over his legs and brought them up to his hips and worked them up into place. It was harder than it looked. He outweighed me by at least 50 pounds so this took all of my strength. By the time I got them on, I had worked up a good sweat, myself. I knew I needed a bath, but I didn't want to leave him alone. I'd wait until Fen got back and then I'd go in and bathe.

In the meantime, I laid with him and laid my head on his pillow right next to him. I took his hand into both of mine and I cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up I felt the bed move and I looked over at him. He hadn't moved. I looked behind me and there was Izumi. Kneeling on the bed and her eyes held nothing but terror. Then Azula came running into the room.

"Izumi! You can't be in here! I'm sorry, Sam, she gave me the slip." Azula came over and took Izumi's arm until she saw her staring at Zuko, then she dropped it.

"Daddy?" Izumi said. She didn't understand what she was seeing but she knew that he didn't look right. She climbed over me and sat next to Zuko. I figured at this point, it would be worse to remove her, so I left her be. She looked at me, "Mommy, why does Daddy look like that?"

"He isn't feeling well, hunny. He is sleeping."

"He doesn't look like he's sleeping." she said. Not much got passed her - just like her father. My heart clenched at the thought of him. What if I would be raising Izumi by myself? My chest hurt at the thought and I quickly banished it.

"I know, Zoom." I said. She sat down in my lap and looked at her father. She reached over and touched his face to which he didn't react. She grabbed my sleeve and started to cry again.

"Mommy! I want Daddy!" she cried. I had decided this was enough.

"Azula." I said, signaling to Izumi. "Izumi, go with your aunt. Mommy and Daddy need to be alone for a while." I said. She didn't want to go but she ultimately knew she wouldn't have a choice. Azula took her hand and walked her out of the bedroom.