Katara wanted to scream in frustration. She wasn't a prisoner, but she wasn't exactly allowed to leave. After everything that happened, they had taken Zuko to an icey prison cell below the main city. Chief Arnook had not been happy about what she did to say the least, Sokka was able to convince the chief to stay his hand and just lock Zuko up. If Aang's life wasn't at stake, Katara shuddered to think what they would do to the firebender.

There was a sharp rap on the door, Katara spun around hoping it was her brother or Toph. She needed to talk to someone, with everything her mind had been occupied and she hadn't kept track of time. It had to have been at least a day though. A tall man dressed in the warrior furs of one of the Chief's guardsmen entered. "Miss Katara, the Council would like to see you."

She didn't respond, only nodded and moved to follow him. The guardsman took her the long way around the palace avoiding the main corridors. This seemed excessive, only because the palace was hauntingly quiet, only the sounds of running water permeated the air. Things were made all the more ominous when they arrived at the doors to the council room. Usually, there were at least a dozen guards stationed outside. But this time there was none, the man jerked his thumb towards the toward motioning Katara to go in without him.

In the back of her mind she wondered if this was a trap- surely not from her own people. She understood why Chief Arnook was upset when he saw Zuko, the memory of his daughter still an open and bleeding wound. But he wouldn't take it so far to attack the Avatar's companions- would he?

Katara took a deep breath and pushed the huge doors forward, the sound of steel and ice scraped together as she pushed forward. When she had been to Council meetings before there were often many people in the room, not all of them in leadership positions but just ordinary citizens keeping up with what was going on in their tribe.

Now there was only Chief Arnook, Yagoda, and two other men that she didn't recognize. "Welcome Katara." Chief Arnook said politely, "thank you for coming."

"If I could just explain what happened-"

Chief Arnook raised his hand, "there is no need. I have spoken to your brother at great length. I am sorry that my men and I attacked your companion. You must understand the last time a firebender walked our city, only the death of our kin and the destruction of our cultural heritage followed." Katara let out an audible sigh, thank Yangchen that he finally realized that they were all on the same team! "I am still no comfortable letting the firebender roam my city freely, no matter what services he has rendered to the Avatar and his friends. But he will no longer be held in the cells beneath the palace. He will be moved to the room you were in. There will be guards stationed outside 24/7 but they will see to it that he is fed properly and is brought books and other musings. At night he may take short walks escorted through the city but his hands must be bound in front of him and he must never be alone. And of course, he is free to leave with you all once you decide to go"

Katara nodded uneasily, she didn't think Zuko would agree to being tied up before going out. In all likelihood he would stay in his room until the day they left. But there was nothing left to do, it surely beat the earlier alternatives. "Thank you Master Arnook."

"Can we get on with the rest of it?" said one of the men that Katara didn't recognize.

"Hutek! Show some restraint!" Yagoda snapped. Katara looked at them in shock, she had never seen the older woman get upset like that. Katara had taken many healing lessons with Yagoda and through it all she was always a picture of wisdom and patience. "Her brother and the earthbender should be here for this too."

Moments later Toph and Sokka pushed open the massive doors and came over to stand by Katara. "Sokka! Toph! Where have you both been?" she asked.

Sokka put a hand on her shoulder, "good to see you little sister."

He opened his mouth to continue but was cut off by Hutek. "Okay they are here now." he said pointedly to the rest of the group.

Yagoda glared at him but started talking. "Hello children. Thank you so much for being here, we understand you all have just been through a great tragedy. You all did the best that you could- you fought braver than anyone else your age."

Katara did not like where this was going. Why did it sound like like something had just been lost?

AANG.

"What happened to him?!" Katara shrieked, cutting the other woman off. Aang couldn't be gone, not after all they had gone through to get him back to the North Pole.

Chief Arnook intervened, sensing a rise in emotions in the room. "Katara, he is still with us but his condition hasn't improved. In fact, he weakens by the day. Yagoda and our healers have tried everything they could." Katara could feel her eyes burning, they couldn't have possibly done everything that they could! They were supposed to be the best healers in the world!

"We don't think he has much time." the chief continued.

"How much?"

"A week? Maybe longer." Yagoda said gently. "It is hard to tell with this sort of thing. Aang had a strong spirit but that lightning shattered all the connections between his chakras. "The young Avatar will die soon." she said, lowering her head. At that, Katara turned and fled from the room.

She found herself outside the room she had been held in before, hoping that Zuko would already be there. She needed to talk to someone. Unfortunately, there was no one around. Katara slid down the wall, sinking to the floor. She would wait, as long as Chief Arnook was being honest he would turn up eventually.

After what Katara guessed to be was two hours she heard the echoes of footsteps down the hall, rhythmically timed. Seconds later a group of ten soldiers appeared around the corner. In the center was a disheveled looking Zuko. He had quite a bit of bruising, Katara hoped that it was from before and that he wasn't being mistreated. "Katara!" He exclaimed when he caught sight of her on the floor.

The lead guardsman immediately stopped, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to Zuko." she said shortly.

"Who authorized that?"

"No one, we can talk in that room and you all can stand guard. Perfectly safe."

The guardsman paused and for a moment she thought he might say no. "Fine, but his hands stayed tied during the visit."

Katara threw him a nasty look but nodded. One of the guardsman opened the door and shoved Zuko through the threshold. After Katara was in the room the door was slammed shut and she could hear the click of a lock. Whatever, this wasn't an escape meeting.

Zuko turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"

For a moment she was lost for words, she looked upon him, tears streaming down her face unable to form the words. His face fell and he approached her slowly so they were standing almost face to face. Still she said nothing. With his hands bound he gently reached up and wiped away the tears on her cheek.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused." he said softly.

And in that moment she broke. She let out a sob and fell to her knees. All of the stress, the pain, and the disappointment from the last few weeks came crashing down on her. She gasped for air feeling as though she were drowning in the middle of the frigid waters of the North Sea. Zuko followed her to the floor and did his best to pull her onto his lap. He said nothing, but having him there was the only thing keeping her tethered to this world at the moment.

When she was finally able to speak she sat to face him. "It's Aang, they said-" she stopped, unable to get the words out.

"Katara it's okay, just breathe."

"But it's not okay, Aang is going to die! And the healers can't do anything about it." A look of shock spread across Zuko's face. He like Katara had saw the damage that Azula had done but they had all hung on to the hope that the Northern Water Tribe healers would be able to do something.

"Isn't there-"

"Didn't you hear me? They said there's nothing they can do. If the best healers in the world can't fix him, how is there any hope?"

A pained look crossed Zuko's face as he searched his brain for answers. Oddly enough, a few months ago Zuko would've been celebrating the downfall of the Avatar. But now it only made him feel sick to his stomach. "Wait, what about the spirit water stuff? A little bit of it saved him in Ba Sing Se, isn't there an entire pond of it somewhere?"

Katara's head snapped up. "Zuko!" You're right! I don't know why I didn't think of that." Katara's face lit up as she was given something new to hope for. "I don't think they've tried that. I have to go tell them, but I will be back I promise!" She reached over and hugged Zuko. In spite of herself she could feel the heat rush to her face at the contact.

"Thank you." she whispered in his ear and left.

Katara sprinted down the palace hallways and out the front door towards the healing hut. She wasn't sure where the Chief was but she knew Yagoda would be there. She burst through the door and called out "Yagoda! Are you here? Yagoda!"

"Goodness child, what is going on." Yagoda came from the other room followed by Chief Arnook. Good Katara thought, she could get both their approval at once.

"I have an idea, I know how we can save Aang! We need to heal him in the spirit pond!" A sad look crossed both their faces and a hush fell over the room. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything? When can we try it?"

"Katara." Chief Arnook said with pity in his voice. "There is nothing more to be done. I know the Avatar is also your friend but our best healers have done everything they can."

"But they haven't if they haven't tried the spirit water!"

He continued as if he hadn't heard her. "We have the best healers in the world here and they have been working on the Avatar since the moment you arrived. I know it's difficult but you have to accept what has happened. The best thing we can do now is wait."

Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing, had they lost their minds? Every moment wasted was another they could have used to help Aang. "Chief Arnook with all due respect why would we wait, you said it yourself he won't get better."

Chief Arnook paused and took a deep breath, "The time of the Air Avatar is coming to a close. The Northern Water Tribe and the entire world will always be grateful for his sacrifice. But we need to usher in a new era. The next Avatar will be of the Water Tribe and they are our best hope for ending this senseless war."

Katara's face dropped. They were going to let Aang die so they could be in control of a new Avatar.