A. N. : Last chapter before the big day, with something a little calmer. It's been a while since Zuko had the time to just focus on Lin...

Lin looks so fragile.

Night has fallen, and Zuko could lay her to rest on their cot, but instead he holds her, his own back resting against Appa. She sleeps nonetheless.

When they all discussed their plan, around a meal and a fire, Zuko finally paused and thought beyond just – just – saving Uncle. He thought of Lin.

He can't keep her safe.

He knew this – he knew this – even before, back in Shu Jing, no, even back in Jang Hui, he already knew the truth. Zuko can't keep Lin safe if things go wrong, and right now everything has gone wrong.

Tomorrow, he won't be able to keep his eyes on her. That's what they decided, in the end. What they all agreed was safest for her. She will stay on Appa, along with Katara and her water whips, away from Uncle and Azula and the heart of the fight. If things go south, if Katara must leave Appa's back because someone got injured and she had to take their place, Lin will be alone. If Azula notices Lin and decides to target her, Lin will be in more danger than any of them. If even a simple rock manages to get past Katara, if it lands on Lin –

If – if – if –

Zuko exhales.

It is safest for Lin not to be on his back in this fight. Azula will target him, if only because he didn't follow her back in Ba Sing Se – that's the better option, the other being that Father ordered her to get rid of him the same as Uncle, and Azula wouldn't disappoint Father, ever – and keeping Lin with him would just be asking for something bad to happen.

It is safest for Lin to be away from him, not only in this fight but always, and Zuko can't bear it. Not being able to keep her safe, not being able to keep an eye on her and make sure she stays safe, even away from him, the ifs and the maybes and the many, many things that could go wrong –

It hurts.

And Zuko, Zuko loves Lin, loves her with all his heart, like a – like a daughter, even if he just can't call her that – and she is so, so fragile –

Zuko readjusts his arms around Lin's body to try and keep them from hurting, and she mumbles in her sleep. There have been a few times now that she said things that didn't quite sound like random strings of sound, a few times that Zuko could swear she said something approaching his name, and he cherishes each of these moments. He wants her to be able to continue on, wants to watch her grow and talk, really talk, wants to see her take her first step – she hasn't even tried yet, happy to be carried around or to just crawl on her belly, but maybe that has less to do with her wants and more to do with travelling around the world on a flying bison with barely a moment to spare.

Lin needs safety to grow properly. Needs stability. Needs things Zuko can't give her, but the more he thinks about it and the more he feels like Jet was right and no one else could, either. There is no safe. Safer, yes, with Katara and Appa, safest, probably, away from him and the danger that keeps following him like his own shadow, but safe ?

She won't ever know that, not in this world, not as she is.

And Lin isn't the only one, she can't be, her existence is proof enough that there are others like her, and they too will never know safe so long as the world keeps on working the way it has for these past one hundred years.

Zuko knows that. Knew that when he made his choice in Ba Sing Se, knew that when he offered his help to the Avatar and when he killed his own people on that ship.

The war needs to stop.

Tomorrow he will face Azula, save Uncle, and escape with everyone, alive and well. He refuses to consider the alternative, refuses the idea of leaving Uncle behind once again –

But Lin's weight in his arms tells him that he will, if he has to. He hates it, can't even imagine a world without Uncle in it, doubts it would be possible to change things without his help, without him on the throne, but – but losing the Avatar would be even worse.

It isn't just about Lin, was never just about Lin, even if she was the catalyst for Zuko's decision, for Zuko's realization that the world is bigger than just himself and the people he cares about.

He refuses to lose anyone tomorrow. But for the first time, he knows that even if he does, he will go on and move toward a better future, for the sake of Lin and Jet and Song and Lee and all of the people who deserve better than this.

Zuko yawns.

Lying down with Lin by his side, he gently kisses her forehead. He will keep her safe. He will make it so he can keep her safe.

That's a promise.