Chapter 5: The Attack

Author's notes: eek. I'm a little wary of writing this because afterwards comes a few things that I am not happy to put these guys through :/ music to jam to while reading: Misty Mountains, The Hobbit soundtrack. Lots of fire and air references in it- other than that don't ask why XD peace -the evenstar.

Aang stepped out the door to see a fire nation messanger. His expression drawn and worried. He bowed low to the Avatar and said, "Avatar Aang! Sir! I am sorry to interrupt you so soon after your wedding. I assure you it is of the upmost importance."

He was interrupted by the thundering footsteps of Sokka and Toph who were running as fast as they could towards him.

"What's going on?" Aang called out.

Sokka stooped over and tried to catch his breath as he began, "It-it's Zuko, and Mai, apparently there was an assassination attempt last night."

"What?" Aang responded incredulously, "Are they okay? Where are they?" He began to run full force towards the firelord's designated quarters. Closely followed by Sokka and Toph. "Toph, go get Katara in case we need a healer."

"You got it," she said as she doubled back.

When they came upon Zuko and Mai's room it was in a state of chaos. The once beautiful tapestries burned to a crisp. The furniture was overturned and charred. Zuko was kneeling next to Mai who was gripping her swollen stomach and groaning. The looks of shock on Aang and Sokka's faces were identical. Who on earth could have gotten the best of the firelord?

"There were too many of them, water and earth benders," Zuko said, his voice lined with pain, "I tried to hold them off but they overpowered me. They pushed past me, and headed straight for Mai. One of them managed to hit her with an ice dagger before I could reach her. I couldn't detain a single one of them before they left. Vanished really."

Aang kneeled down and put a hand on his friends shoulder to get a closer look at Mai. Her wound was deep, the evidence had melted, but it seemed to have lodged into her right bicep, not a critical spot, although she had lost enough blood to be a serious threat to her and the baby. "Katara is on her way. When did this happen?"

"Not quite a half hour ago, it was dawn," Zuko replied, and took Aang to the side, "she fell Aang", he said, his eyes pleading for understanding, "hard."

Almost as if on cue Katara and Toph entered the demolished room. Katara did not need to be told what to do and she rushed over to Mai to assess the damage.

"Sokka, go wake up Suki and tell her I need her help. Toph help me carry her into the next hut, we need to get this clean and get the blood to stop. It's going to be alright Mai, you're going to be just fine"

"I'll go and look to see if they left any clues behind," Aang said as he ran out of the room.

Everyone immediately left to follow orders except for Zuko who was frozen on the spot.

"Zuko, she's going to be fine, really. We'll find out who did this. I promise. Go help Aang so that we can work," Katara ordered standing him up and leading him to the door just as Suki and Sokka walked back in, "Sokka go with Aang and Zuko. Look for anything that they could have left behind." The men left the room, Zukko reluctantly,

"I'll be right back Mai. Katara will be able to help you," he said with squeeze of her hand and with a sideways pleading glance at Katara he followed the other men

Katara and Suki tried to lift Mai gingerly but her moans of pain only intensified. Thinking quickly she began to bend the water from her flask over her hands. It glowed as she began to heal the wound. And almost as if by magic it began to close up and turned to a mere scratch, but the blue light highlighted something else. Other scratches, not as deep but still painful and losing quite a bit of blood all over her arms, chest and abdomen. She would have to work fast.

"There now lets try and lift her again, Suki maybe you can find her a fresh dress? We need to keep her clean and comfortable and make sure the baby is okay."

They carried her to the next room and set about getting her cleaned up and relaxed. It was very hard to read any emotion other than pain and embarrassment on Mai's face, but she finally spoke up,

"I can't believe they overpowered us. They were intent on killing me. They wanted me dead!"

"What else happened?," Katara asked her, "these scratches…"

Mai's eyes closed in pain as she took a deep breath, "it was after they- he was asleep you understand, Zuko, and they knocked him out. Their water bender was quick, he rained these terrible needles on me, is…is the baby okay?"

Unwilling to answer that question at present, she replied, "Zuko will be back soon. We'll get extra security for you and in a few days you should be able to return home. I'm so sorry Mai."

"They're coming," Toph said reading the vibrations of the men's footsteps as they returned.

"We'll get to the bottom of this," Aangs voice rang in the corridor, "don't worry, this won't go unsolved Zuko, I promise you."

The faces of the three men as they re-entered the room were absolutely defeated. It didn't take much to tell that there was no trail to follow back to these mystery assassins.

Katara could see the worry in Aangs eyes. "We'll leave you alone for a bit, she's going to be just fine Zuko," she said as she put her hand on his arm, "I'll be back in to check on you every hour Mai."

Mai looked relieved, "And the baby?"

"I think so," Katara said slowly, "I can't be sure. You lost a lot of blood. What you need now is rest. Zuko have one of your servants bring her whatever she wants to eat. She needs to regain her strength."

This wasn't the answer the young couple was hoping for and they instinctively drew closer to each other as if to protect on another from the pain of what could be.

The rest of them left the room and silently walked outside.

"What is it Aang?" Katara inquired.

"Yea twinkletoes, don't have to see you to feel your anger," added Toph.

"I thought this was done with is all. It's been six years. Don't people realize that he's not like his father? How many times does he have to prove himself?" Aang's tattoos began to glow slightly as he got more and more enraged.

"Sweetie, calm down. We'll figure this out. Let's all go find my father," Katara said.

Aang pulled Katara back as the others went on to talk to her privately, "Thanks, Katara. I'm just sorry it's interrupted our time together. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"There's nothing to make up Aang. I love that you care enough to go and help your friends. There will be other nights, and other mornings. For now we need to focus...and...I love you Aang."

"I love you too Katara," he said, and for the moment the weight of the world was lifted off of his shoulders.

I love how that last part illustrates the absolute necessity that Katara is to Aang. He needs to be grounded every once in a while!