Zuko knows something is up.
His sister is never this involved in teaching.
He watches with a careful eye how she steps in closer than necessary to correct Aang's stance. It's not that he minds her essentially taking over the Avatar's Fire Bending lessons but he does mind how Aang watches the beads of sweat that run down her neck and disappear into her cleavage. It's hot under the blazing sun but does she really need to wear so little? Her shirt covers the scars on her back but is low cut in the front and leaves part of her stomach exposed.
It irks Zuko at the way her voice drops as she says something too low for him to hear but it elicits a blush from the Air Bender.
"How is it going?" Katara's voice surprises him.
Zuko turns to the blue eyes that he spends more time thinking about than he should. "Good. I guess."
Katara picks up on the sour tone immediately. "Doesn't sound like it." She says as she sits next to him on the rock.
He isn't quite sure how to put his misgivings into words. "Azula doesn't like teaching."
The Water Bender turns an appraising eye to the woman in question, taking in the way Azula tilts her head as she smiles and the gentle teasing instruction as she steps in behind Aang to adjust his arm. Azula's hand lingers where it is wrapped around his waist resting on his stomach. "She seems to be enjoying it." Katara tries to keep the smile out of her voice.
She fails and Zuko scowls. "You see it too?" He accuses.
Katara shrugs. "So what? They're flirting."
"So what?" Zuko finds it difficult to keep the anger out of his voice. "This is Azula. She doesn't flirt."
Katara turns her attention back to the couple in question and the easy conversation between them. "For someone that doesn't flirt, Zuko, she's doing a good job of it."
Zuko looks back at the close proximity of his sister and the Avatar as they talk to one another. Azula's laughter reaches his ears. It's a rare sound and he lets out a muttered curse. When Azula turns to walk away, he doesn't miss what the Air Bender is watching.
Zuko clears his throat loudly and when that fails to get his friend's attention he lobs a small fireball at his head.
It misses of course but it does succeed in getting Aang's attention. "What was that for?"
Katara giggles and Zuko gives him a look. "You were staring."
Aang raises his eyebrows in question. "I was?"
Zuko's voice is edged with anger. "At my baby sister."
Before Aang can defend himself Azula's voice calls to him. "I'm not waiting all day, Avatar."
Aang looks from the impatient Princess to the scowling Prince. "I better go. Azula doesn't like to be kept waiting."
He's gone before Zuko can protest.
"What the…" Zuko bites his tongue before something more colorful comes out.
Katara's laughter fills the air as Zuko watches his sister disappear into the woods with the Avatar in tow.
oOoOoOoO
Zuko knows something isn't right.
The plan was so simple: invade Caldera, find Ozai while he is powerless from the eclipse, and the Avatar ends it.
Perhaps it was too simple and that was why it failed.
They had not expected the Dai Li. How Ozai got his hands on Dai Li agents in the first place is a mystery but it is one Zuko thinks Azula may have some insight into. The look in her eye when she spots the Earth Benders is a familiar one.
Even without her bending, Azula is dangerous, especially armed with just her swords, and she lashes out with a ferocity that surprises them. The blood splatter from the unfortunate agent closest to Azula may never quite come out of her clothes but there are more Dai Li where that one came from. They soon find themselves surrounded and in for the fight of their lives.
It costs them precious time though.
"There are too many chambers. He could be anywhere." Azula growls in frustration as she kicks one of the fallen corpses aside.
"The eclipse is almost over. We'll have to split up." Sokka says, as he wipes space sword clean on bloody green robes.
It's not what they want to do but they have little choice.
It's also how Zuko and Azula, armed only with broadswords, walk into an ambush.
Ozai had to know it was his own children walking down the dark passage. Zuko isn't sure how but nothing with his father surprises him anymore.
He is surprised by how fast Ozai moves to take out Azula. The hiss of metal is all they hear as Ozai's sword finds its target.
Zuko watches with horror as Azula goes down, blood darkening the stomach of her shirt, before Ozai rounds on him with the bloody sword raised but Zuko is better with the sword than Ozai is. For once his father is on the defensive and Zuko attacks with all his anger and hate at the man that has cost him so much.
Mai, Ty Lee, Ursa; Zuko knows the names of the skeletons in Ozai's closet.
It's not until he disarms Ozai that he feels the sudden surge of power flowing through him and he knows the playing field has changed.
Bless Uncle for finding a way to channel lightening.
Ozai's face is twisted in a sneer as the blue bolts flow so easily from his fingers but Zuko was ready and gives the Fire Lord a taste of his own medicine when the same blue bolts fly back in his sire's face.
Zuko wants to laugh at the look of shock on his father's face as he is thrown backward into the wall. The triumph is short lived though as Ozai is back on his feet and now it is Zuko that is on the defensive. Dodging and blocking erratic waves of fire interspersed with violent bolts of lightning. It's not like anything Zuko has ever seen and he knows he can't keep this up forever.
He almost misses it. It was nearly too small a movement to see anyway but the result is impossible to miss.
Ozai's robes burst into flames.
Blue flames.
Lying in a puddle of her own blood, Azula is half sat up, golden eyes wide, bright, and filled with as much hate as Zuko has ever seen in them.
Lightning sparks at Ozai's fingertips but Zuko is quick to move.
Ozai screams as the orange flames mingle with the blue to envelop the Fire Lord. Zuko dodges to avoid the wide arc of lightning that fills the room shooting wildly in all directions.
The smell of burnt skin, ozone, and smoking wood fill the air burning Zuko's lungs.
Ozai is nowhere to be seen.
Zuko wants to follow the trail of smoke and ash but the sister slowly bleeding to death on the floor holds his attention.
Rifling through his pack he pulls out a bandage and sets about to try to keep her alive long enough for either Aang or Katara to find them.
OoOoOoOo
Zuko knows there is something more at work here than what he sees. There just has to be.
Exhaustion laces Azula's face but she refuses to give up her bedside post.
"I'm not leaving him." She growls at him, golden eyes flaring to life.
"No one's making you." Zuko says gently. It's been a battle these past few days trying to placate his sister and hopefully avoid the mental collapse he sees her heading for.
Her fingers look frail even as they gently trace the blue arrow tattoo on the back of Aang's hand.
"They are trying to take him from me."
Zuko draws a deep breath against his sister's paranoia. "Azula, no one will take him from you. I have guards posted. It'll be fine."
Wary golden eyes flit around the room. "Where is Katara?" Azula likes the Water Bender to be close by, just in case.
"Resting. She was exhausted." He repeats with patience. They have already argued about the Water Bender's absence but a tired healer won't be of any use. "She isn't far if we need her." He sits beside his sister and watches the gentle rise and fall of Aang's bandaged chest.
"I can't believe he survived it." Azula whispers with a sense of awe as she reaches out to caress the Air Bender's face.
The lightening strike had surprised everyone, nearly everyone that is. Unless redirected, it is almost always lethal. Aang didn't have time to redirect it. Zuko isn't sure if he ever learned the technique.
"He wasn't meant to survive it." Azula's voice takes on more strength.
The bolt of lightning was intended to be fatal. The angle, the magnitude, the sheer force behind it had only one intention.
Zuko closes his eyes at this. He's tired. Perhaps more tired than he's ever been but he won't sleep while Azula is still in such a fragile place.
"He's surprised us before." He answers simply. Zuko's running out of things to say to Azula's musings and misgivings.
Sitting back in her chair, Azula shakes her head, loose tendrils of hair falling around her shoulders. "No. I failed Zuko." She pulls her hands into her lap and just stares. "I failed everyone."
This is a new line in her ramblings. "You haven't failed, Azula."
She isn't looking at him but he sees how her eyes narrow and the blue flames of the torches lining the wall burn brighter. "It should never have come to this."
This is something Zuko can agree on.