"You've got company." One of the Dai Li agents says before they throw someone in. A familiar form lands at her feet.
"Oh hey Lee." Sokka says, almost sound disinterested.
Zuko starts to stand and brushes off the dust from his clothes. "Nice to see you… Suki. That was the fake name you gave me, right?"
"It was." Sokka says in a fake cheerful voice. "Has your intense sister taken over Ba Sing Se yet?" Zuko says nothing.
"So why did they throw you in here?" Zuko still hasn't said anything since he first arrived, but he has sat down faced away from her. "Wait, don't tell me, I think I've figured it out. You and your uncle were the first wave, and when you guys successfully infiltrated the city, your sister came along after. So this," Sokka says tracing an invisible pattern with her hand. "is a trap. So when the group shows up to help me, you can finally capture the Avatar."
Zuko turns to look at her, but turns back around to look at the ground. "I should've told them about you when I first found you. But I was convinced that maybe you had decided to start a new life here. How dumb of me, right?" Zuko's silence is her answer. She tries a new tactic to get him to talk. " You're a terrible person. You have to know that. Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Harassing my sister! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace!" Sokka pauses. "But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Zuko finally speaks.
"I don't?" Sokka laughs angrily. "How dare you? You have no idea what this war has put me through!" Sokka sits down. "The Fire Nation and the war have taken everything away from me." She presses the heels of her palm to her face to stop the tears. "Starting with my mother."
Zuko turns to face her. "I'm sorry." Sokka almost believes him. After a short pause, Zuko says, "That's something we have in common."
"I'm sorry about yelling at you before." Sokka finally says.
"It doesn't matter."
"It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face." Sokka admits.
"My face?" Zuko touches his scar. "I see."
"Not because of that!" Sokka says getting closer to Zuko. "It's just you're one of the few fire benders who I've seen without their helmets on."
Zuko shakes his head. "You don't have to lie, it's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever," Zuko continues. "But lately, I've realized that I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."
"Maybe you could be free of it." Sokka sits down next to Zuko, their legs touching.
"What?" Zuko looks straight at her.
"My sister has healing abilities." Sokka explains.
"It's a scar, it can't be healed." Zuko shakes his head.
"My sister has this special water she got from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, and I know she's been saving it." Sokka put her hand on the side of Zuko's face. "Maybe she could use it on you." Zuko grabbed her hand and moved it off of his face, but kept his grip on it. "I mean, think about it. You could teach Aang fire bending, we could help stop the war, we could do it all if we worked together. And I'm sure Katara would want to help you if you help us. Plus I could put in a good word for you." Sokka says with a grin.
Zuko lets go of her hand. "Why would you do that."
"Because," Sokka says reaching up her hand to sweep some of Zuko's shaggy hair out of his face. "If I help you, you'll help me, right?"
"Right." Zuko practically whispers. Their faces are close now, practically sharing each other's air.
Suddenly Sokka sees water coming straight towards Zuko so she swoops in front of Zuko, letting the blast hit her in the back rather than hitting Zuko in the chest.
"Sokka!" She hears her sister cry out, proving her assumption right. Katara comes running up as Sokka lets herself slump on the ground.
"That really hurt." Sokka groaned.
"Well it was supposed to hit Zuko, not you!" Katara explains before glaring at Zuko. She turns to someone behind her. "Sorry Iroh, when I saw him by Sokka, I got over protective."
Iroh just smiles. "No one is hurt, it's fine."
"Um, hello, hi." Sokka says a bit rudely. "I'm pretty hurt." Katara helps her up.
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing here with the Avatar?" Zuko points towards Aang. Sokka hadn't even noticed that he was there.
"Saving you, that's what." Aang replies cheekily.
Zuko steps towards Aang, but his uncle stops him. "Zuko, it's time we talked." He turns towards the trio. "You should go help Toph. We'll catch up to you."
Sokka is super dumb and should never trust Fire Benders. As she runs away from the group of benders she curses herself for being so dumb. Katara is fighting Azula and Aang is fighting Zuko and Sokka is running off to go help Toph because when it comes to benders she's utterly useless, but hopefully with straightening out a political takeover, she can be useful.
Sokka finds Toph and the Earth King and the Earth King's bear. As much as she tries to figure out what they could do to stop this takeover, it's too late. The best she can do is make sure the Earth King has somewhere safe he can go. The safest place ends up being with the group.
Appa is loaded up with the Earth King, his bear, Toph, the Water Tribe siblings, and an unconscious Aang. Ba Sing Se has been taken over. Sokka watches as Katara tries to heal Aang. The spirit water stops glowing and Katara starts to cry. Then as if by some sort of magic, Aang's tattoos glow and the Avatar wakes. Perhaps all hope is not lost.