Note from the Author: Well hi there! It's been about... I don't know how long but it's been a damn long time! I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. There has just been... So much in life going on that I put this on the back burner, but I have a new laptop that I love and I am determined to get back into this. I hope I still have some readers for this story and enjoy! Hopefully see you soon! xoxo ~

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Chapter 12

"I don't know how to help him Katara", Zuko ran his hand through his hair and sighed," The comment is in days and he isn't even prepared."

"You'll figure it out", Katara assured him.

It was night and Zuko was pacing around their shared room as Katara watched him with somewhat amusement, but also worry.

"He has no anger and he's not aggressive", Zuko told her," Key things to being a firebender."

"Surely there are other ways to find passion than negative feelings", she knitted her eyebrows together.

Zuko scoffed at her and placed his hands on his hips," Clearly you were not meant to be a firebender... That's what makes it so strong and powerful. It isn't like waterbending where it heals and is calming."

"Water... Calming?" Katara actually laughed," You have to be kidding Zuko. Surely you remember me fighting. Water can almost be as deadly as fire and sometimes even stronger."

"So where do you get your drive from?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not sure", Katara pondered," I've never really thought about it before... I suppose it comes deep from within. My body just instinctively knows what to do and what I need to do."

"Hmmm..." Zuko tapped his chin.

"Uh oh, what are you thinking?" Katara frowned at him.

"Maybe we can do a little test for Aang", Zuko wondered aloud.

"What do you mean a test?"

"A test that he wouldn't see coming. A test that would have him having to use his firebending", Zuko smiled mischievously.

"Well that wouldn't work", Katara rolled her eyes," He would just resort to air. It's the thing he knows best."

"Not if he can't access it", Zuko smiled.

"Zuko whatever you are thinking, let it go", Katara waved her hand away.

"I need to go talk to Azula and Sokka", he walked out of the room.

"Zuko!" Katara called after him, but it was no use. She frowned at her husband's back as he walked down the hall.

"Mommy, Aang! Look!" Haku smiled at them as he somersaulted through the courtyard.

"That's awesome baby!" Katara smiled at her son.

"I don't know what to do Katara", Aang frowned as he pulled at the grass in the courtyard they were sitting in," I'm no where near ready for this."

"I'm going to tell you what I told Zuko last night when he was worried," You will figure it out. Don't lose hope."

"You know... What Zuko said the other day... I know he was just saying all those things to get me to fight better, but they really got to me", Aang away from her sheepishly.

"I know they did", Katara looked at him sadly.

"Katara, I gotta know... Why him?" Aang looked at her.

"Uh- what do you mean?" Katara panicked.

"You know what I mean", Aang scoffed," Why him? I've been good to you, I was there when you needed someone. I thought that maybe, I don't know, after sometime I would be with you and you would look at me differently."

"Aang... It's not that you aren't a great guy. I should be with someone like you. For all the reasons in the world, I should be with you and end up with you, but I can't. My heart wouldn't be all in it, and that wouldn't be fair to you. And I love Zuko. I know he hasn't been the best person and he's done terrible things. But I still love him and he's still my husband. I truly believe in my heart that I am destined to be with him", Katara gave a small smile," Don't worry Aang... You're time with someone will come."

"I don't think so", he sighed," Some of us are just destined to be alone.

"And some of you are destined to die!" they heard someone shout from behind them. They turned and saw Azula, her hands lit with fire.

"Azula!" Katara yelled, her eyes wide," What are you doing?"

"I'm sick of being here! And I'm sick of all of you!" Azula smiled at them sadistically," You made me betray my nation! You have to pay!"

"Katara, get Haku out of here!" Aang yelled at Katara who was already up and running towards Haku who was standing still not sure of what was happening in front of them.

"Aang, run!" Katara yelled at him.

"Get out of here Katara!" Aang ran towards Azula and pushed a ball of air towards her. Azula jumped high in the air as it rushed underneath her. She landed behind Aang and kicked him in the back sending him forwards.

"Mommy! What's Aunt 'Zula doing!" Haku cried and clung onto Katara.

"Haku, we have to find daddy", Katara ran out of the courtyard only to find Zuko leaning on the wall at the end of it.

"Zuko! Help Aang! Azula's gone mad!" Katara stopped in front of him, crying.

"Katara, get a hold of yourself", he wiped away her tear and took a crying Haku from her arms.

"What are you talking about! Azula is trying to kill us!" Katara screamed at him.

"No she's not", he actually laughed at her," This is a training exercise."

"What?" Katara stopped crying as her face fell.

"I need him to be in a spot that he doesn't expect and that catches him off guard", Zuko shrugged," And what better person for the job than the person he trusts least?"

"Are you insane!" Katara yelled at him," Look at how scared your son is!"

"Aw buddy", Zuko hugged Haku who was still crying," We are just training Uncle Aang. He's okay buddy."

"Then why is Aunt 'Zula hurting him?" Haku sniffled.

"Because she has to buddy. Aang has an important job for this big war coming", Zuko put Haku down and leaned back against the wall watching Aang and Azula fight.

"Stay here you two and watch", Zuko pointed at the battle happening before them.

"Aang is just going to use his staff", Katara pointed out.

"Nope, I hid it this morning", Zuko said smugly.

"Of course you did", Katara muttered.

Azula ran at Aang shooting fire from her fingers at him. He flew above them and kept dodging but he was starting to become tired. Where was his staff? He thought about it and realized he hadn't even seen it this morning.

"Azula stop this madness!" Aang tried to reason with her.

"Never!" Azula smiled at him and kept shooting fire at him.

"I thought you were becoming better! I thought you were changing!" Aang stood in front of her.

"Then you are just as stupid as you look!" Azula cackled with laughter," Your people put up more of a fight than you are now!"

"Don't you DARE mention the people who help slaughter!" he yelled at her.

"What are you going to do little boy?" she laughed in his face," Blow me away?"

"AHHH!" he yelled at her, fire shooting from his mouth and fire shooting from his fists as he punched fire at her. She flipped backwards and shot them back, but his were coming to fast. One hit her in the chest and blew her backwards into the pond behind them.

"Alright, alright!" Zuko went running out, Katara following behind him holding Haku.

"That's enough before you kill her", Zuko stoof in front of Aang who still had smoke coming out of his mouth.

"There you are! You're sister is trying to kill us!" Aang yelled at him.

"No she's not", Zuko shook her head," This was a test."

"We gotta go! We gotta get the guards! She'll burn- Wait what?" Aang turned to him, and looked at him with confusion.

"It was a test", Zuko repeated," I needed you to be in a scenario that you weren't expecting and you would be caught off guard to see if you had it in you and look! You did!"

Aang looked behind Zuko and saw Katara helping Azula out of the water, the front of her shirt now burned through, but luckily she wasn't burned.

"Are you kidding!" Aang yelled in Zuko's face," I could have killed her! I was ready to rip her head off!"

"I asked her last night and Sokka too about this idea and they agreed it was the best thing to do", Zuko informed him," And it worked didn't it? I hid your staff this morning and you used firebending. This is the exact situation you will be in, is it not? Combat with somebody you aren't familiar with. And now, I gotta say, I feel like there is a little hope now. Don't you?"

And thought about it in his head and glared at Zuko. He didn't want to admit, but Zuko was right. He will be in a situation like this and now he knows he can firebend.

"Don't trick me again", Aang shoved past him and ruffled Haku's hair as he stormed away from them.

"Well he took that well", Azula commented sarcastically as she squeezed her hair dry of water.

"Well it worked", Zuko nodded sternly," And that's all I wanted."

"I hate to admit this, but you did good", Katara walked up to her husband and smirked at him," That was a good idea."

"Azula! Make sure you remember this moment!" Zuko yelled and pointed at his sister," Katara admitting that I was right!"

Azula smirked and walked away from them to go dry off.

"Har har har", Katara fake laughed and kissed him before they and Haku went back inside.

So there it is! We shall see what happens next or when I will post next xD