"When you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero."

Zuko's face had become twisted with indecision, though Katara knew it was a lie—he was a good actor. He hesitated for what seemed to be an age, caught between his polarizing loyalties. General Iroh's eyes were pleading. Zuko struck him down regardless, knowing what was at stake. He had picked a side. He had made his choice.

Azula's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. In the battled that ensued, Zuko and Katara sparred with energy—they had to make it genuine. Aang was constantly stealing glances in between blows with Azula, clearly concerned for Katara's safety. He needn't have been of course—Zuko's powerful blows glanced but never fully struck the clever water-bender, but it was time for the finale. It was crucial that Aang see Katara fall.

Katara and Zuko began to spar with more intensity. With a quick kick from Zuko, Katara was stumbling backwards. Taking a deep breath in, he delivered his final strike. A raging inferno of a fireball shot towards Katara impossibly fast. He saw her eyes widen in very real fear, though at the last moment he let the intensity come right off so that when it connected with her it was at less than half it's original heat. Regardless, Katara let out a horrible scream as she was thrown backwards into the cave wall.

Seeing her crumpled in on herself was horrible for Zuko, made only more horrifying by the burns he could see blistering at her skin. He turned to Azula and Aang who had both seen it happen. Whilst Aang froze in shock, Azula made the most of the distraction and struck him with her most powerful lightning strike yet.

Zuko had fulfilled his duty to the fire nation. He would now return home a hero. And unknown to the rest of the ship's crew, he would be bringing someone with him.

As he lay awake in his private cabin aboard a ship far more luxurious than the one he and his Uncle had called home, he felt only guilt. Katara lay beside him, her skin now fully healed. Though she had assured him that she was okay, he couldn't shake the memory of how scared she had been as he attacked her, and how scared he had been seeing her unmoving in front of him.

Zuko placed a kiss on her shoulder. "I'll never hurt you like that again," he murmured, thinking she was asleep.

"I believe you," she whispered.