UPDATE 5/15/2015: Last chapter, everyone! Finally, eh? Well, as with any story/book/movie/tv show/etc... this may not be the way people wanted things to end, or expected things to end... but I felt it was appropriate. It was a meaningful ending to me, and as the writer, I guess that's all I can offer to the readers. So... for all new readers, for all the older readers-I know there are a few loose ends and that it's taken a long time, but I really hope the ending feels complete and that you've enjoyed this story.

VIVA ZUTARA FOREVARRRR~! XD

Aiko

The world was burning hot, the ceiling was spinning and all she could smell was smoke. All she could see was darkness, but she knew she was falling. Katara hit the ground and it sent agonizing shockwaves throughout her body. Not a moment later, Zuko's arms were wrapped around her and he was shaking her gingerly, trying to keep her conscious. He was calling her name, touching her face, a gentle sound of hysteria in his voice—as though he was panicked, but didn't want to alarm her. Finally, the pain started to fade and her body was going numb. The heat left her slowly, replacing itself with an ice cold sensation. She strained to listen to Zuko's voice while he said her name over and over in his beautiful, raspy voice.

Her lips drew upwards into a small smile. If she was dying, this was how she wanted to die—listening to his voice.

The Firebender rocked her gently. "Katara, Katara—Katara, open your eyes—" Zuko spoke softly, but quickly, "Look at me. Katara. Stay with me, Katara." He ran his thumb along her cheek. Her eyes were closed and her lips curved up in a small smile, but he could feel the life draining out of her. He leaned over to kiss her lips, her cheeks, her nose, her forehead. "Katara—I'm here. I'm here," he whispered, lowering his face into her hair. It smelled smoky and burnt and he could feel the crispy ends of her hair against his skin. He took a deep breath of her scent. She smelled nothing like she usually did. Katara didn't smell like burned hair and flesh, she smelled of water lilies and honeysuckle. Sometimes she simply smelled like clean water, the woods or grass—she always had a natural, sweet smell on her skin. His lips met hers. Her lips didn't taste like blood and smoke the last time he'd kissed her—they tasted like citrus and cinnamon.

She was his strong, beautiful, wonderful, brave Katara—and she lay dying in his arms.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he gazed down at her. While she had Ozai under control the prince should have taken care of him, like she asked. It seemed so dishonorable, but his father never spared a thought for honor or integrity—why was the prince so concerned with it? Zuko heard footsteps of the others as they entered the room and immediately stopped. He held the Water-tribe girl close, feeling her shallow, labored breathing. Hot tears streamed down his scarred face. "Katara," he pleaded, "Come on, Katara, please. Please stay."

Iroh was the only one to approach his nephew. He knelt beside him and placed an arm around Zuko, who only buried his face deeper in Katara's hair as he choked back a sob.

Aang stood a ways away, frozen to the ground he stood on. The Airbender just watched as the girl he loved fell to the ground and stopped moving. He watched as Zuko, rushed to her side and held her close in what could be her final moments. Aang's gaze drifted from the Waterbender to the Firelord. Zuko struck him down like it was nothing. When he first saw what the Firelord had done to Katara, Aang fully intended to kill Ozai. But now that it's happened—the Airbender felt strangely about all of it. None of this felt good or triumphant. In fact, it felt like a loss more than anything. His eyes made their way back to Zuko and Katara. His heart tore a little more. He hated that Zuko was holding her, but, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to approach the Firebender or Katara. Instead, he just watched the prince kiss her lovingly and beg her to stay from a distance.

Was it guilt that kept him bound to where he stood? Or was it anger, jealousy, or heartbreak? The Airbender couldn't ignore the glaring fact that Katara found the strength to use blood-bending, not to protect him when he needed it, but to protect Zuko. On the other hand, when Firelord Ozai blasted the ball of fire at her, the Avatar didn't stop him. Zuko didn't either, but Zuko didn't hesitate to take his own father out in an attempt to stop it. Aang saw Katara slip when he called out to her. He saw the way she lost control of Ozai in that moment, but he didn't react. He didn't try to stop Ozai—not like Zuko had. Guilt washed over him as he realized, outside of his Avatar state, he couldn't bring himself to kill the Firelord.

Not even for Katara.

Just as she hadn't made the effort to protect him, the Avatar didn't make the attempt to protect her, either.

What did that mean? Did he not really love her? His eyes were full of tears and his heart ached as the Waterbender lay there dying. Aang wished more than anything that it was himself in her place—no, he definitely loved her. Was it just that his ideals and moral beliefs were ultimately more important to him than she was...?

"Aang!" Toph yelled out, snapping the Avatar out of his thoughts. Aang's focus fell on Zuko, whose eyes were lit up with hope.

"I asked if you could use waterbending to heal her?" Uncle Iroh asked hurriedly.

"I-I—I'm not sure. I mean, she taught me how. Um," Aang stammered as he looked around the room hopelessly, "W-Water. I would need water."

Sokka wiped his tear-covered face with his good arm and removed Katara's water pouch from his belt. "I got this off one of the guards out front," he said.

Aang shook his head. "No, she has too many injuries. Her entire body would need to be submerged—" he started.

Suddenly, they could hear a soft chuckling. Zuko's eyes snapped back to the Firelord, his gaze lethal. They all tensed up, ready for a fight.

The Fire-nation prince said nothing and gently lifted Katara in his arms before he stood. He placed the Waterbender in Aang's arms. "Take Katara down to the turtleduck ponds in the garden. My uncle can show you where it is," he said. His golden eyes bore into Aang's steel gray eyes. "Heal her," Zuko said. Aang's gaze lingered on the Fire-nation prince and he nodded.

After the group carried Katara away, Zuko's clenched his fists and slowly strode over to his father. He stood over him and looked down at the Firelord.

"You.. have always.. been such a... weakling," Ozai said as he struggled to move. His breathing was haggard and the Firelord's usually powerful, pristine appearance was frayed and pitiful.

"You're wrong," the Firebender said flatly. "You always have been." Zuko circled his father, keeping his eyes on him. "You know, you have only ever taught me that kindness and compassion is for the weak, love and friendship is meaningless, honor is something that can be given to you and taken from you, and struggling means you're pathetic—but I've learned that none of that is true."

"Kindness and compassion takes strength, love and friendship inspire bravery. Honor is gained by choosing to do the right thing and struggling is only ever pathetic if you give up." Zuko stopped, catching a glimpse of himself in the broken, golden mirrored tiles on the floor."...But the thing you were most wrong about, father, was me. I am strong. I am honorable. I am worthy. And I have much to offer. You and our ancestors have spent the last 100 years tarnishing the Fire-nation with your arrogance, greed and desire for power. But I promise you, I will spend the rest of my life undoing all of your past decisions and beg the other nations for forgiveness for all the wrong you have done to them," Zuko said. He lowered his gaze, looking into the golden eyes that resembled his own and added, "But first, I'll grant the world the justice it deserves by getting rid of you."

Ozai grunted and shook violently as the lightning coursed through his veins. When his shaking ceased, he grinned maliciously. "Well then, what's taking you so long? Kill me, son," he dared, "But, if you do, you'll be more like me than you may think. Or should I say, you'll be more like your mother?" Zuko's eyes narrowed on him. "...whether or not you care to admit it, you come from a long line of murders," Ozai sneered, "She killed your grandfather, you know. Why do you think she was banished? She's lucky I didn't have her hanged or burned. I only allowed banishment because her treason gave me the opportunity to become Firelord."

Zuko lowered his eyes, thinking of his mother and whether she was alive or not somewhere. "...I knew. But she didn't do what she did so you could become Firelord. She did what she did to protect me. The only thing I understood as a child was, grandfather died, she was gone, and you were Firelord," he said solemnly, "I hated myself for so long because you always told me it was my fault that she left. But, now that I fully understand the love she felt and the sacrifice she made for me, not because of me—I'll gladly accept the fact that I'm like my mother. Because, like her, I'll be doing what is necessary to protect the people I love and the world we live in by ridding it of you."

"...Well, aren't you just my little self-righteous, treacherous son?" Ozai seethed. Zuko clenched his jaw as he glared down at the powerless, pathetic man he used to call his father.

"That's twice you've called me your son... All of a sudden I'm your son and you're my father," Zuko mused. He could see the pain the Firelord was trying so hard to hide. The Fire-nation prince wanted to draw it out, to make him suffer. It would be easy to convince himself that it was the right thing to do as he thought of Katara, of his mother, of the Air-nomads and all of those who lost their lives because of this foolish war.

Then, he thought of the light-hearted nights spent as a family on Ember Island, and the tiny handful of memories he had of watching fireworks with his father, or being carried on his shoulders—of the two laughing together. Zuko's heart sank. He knew—for many years, that man has been gone. That man didn't exist anymore. His heart ached as he stared at the crazed Firelord.

"The only thing you have taught me is," the prince hesitated, "...that I am no longer your son—and you are no longer my father." Ozai glared up at the young Firebender as bright blue sparks ignited on Zuko's fingertips. "And now, you are no longer the Firelord."

A bolt of lightning burst from Zuko's fingers and hit the Ozai directly in the chest—stopping his heart.

It was late in the afternoon and the sun slowly made its descent toward the horizon, brightening the sky with varying shades of orange and purple. Music and conversation filled the courtyard within the Fire-nation palace walls. People had gathered from all over the world to witness and celebrate his formal acceptance of becoming Firelord.

He made his rounds, trying his best to make sure to speak with everyone—but it was so crowded and he'd been at it for hours. All the faces, introductions and conversations were starting to blur. It didn't help that it seemed everyone he spoke to had the same questions for him.

"How are you going to bring peace between the nations?"

"What are your plans for the Fire-nation and how are you going to keep people safe from the rebels and radicals?"

"How will you convince the other nations to trust and make peace with the Fire-nation after so many people have lived through, fought in and died in this hundred year war?"

It was all so overwhelming. Suddenly, he was this important figure who was supposed to have all the answers, not just for his own nation, but for the whole world. His Uncle and the Avatar tried to prepare him for this over the past two weeks. As he approached another group, he gave his best smile and let them introduce themselves. He was only half listening as the men and his Uncle made small talk and debated about tea. He let out a small chuckle when they all started laughing.

He knew this was an extremely important occasion and he should care. He should be focused on each person he meets and be present. And he tried to be, but his mind was far away, thinking about the Waterbender.

And it would continue to be until she woke up.

Zuko made sure to make eye contact with each of the men in the small group before him. After listening to them ask the same questions he'd heard all night, he repeated the same answer he'd given to a million others, "The Avatar and I are currently working on a solution to mend all the wrong that's been done. The Fire-nation is a broken nation, but it is not beyond repair. It will take time to regain the trust of the other nations and we are ready to do what's needed to earn it back. We may not be able to change everyone's opinions of the Fire-nation, but overall the Avatar and I believe in the healing power of time and the goodness of humanity. We can only approach the problems we encounter like any other problem—one step at a time, one day at a time. As far as the Fire-nation being safe, there has been quite a few riots and protests lately, but we're hoping that will fade with time. Meanwhile, the White Lotus has been and will continue to be a great help in keeping the Fire-nation a safe place. Peace between the nations is my ultimate goal and together with the Avatar, I believe it's possible."

So far, everyone has seemed pleased with this response—he's only had a couple men who had a little too much fire-whiskey and called him out on his somewhat vague answers. His Uncle, who had been his shadow all day, was very good at knowing when to step in and redirect the conversation.

The group of men bowed their heads in gratitude and thanked the Firelord for his time. Zuko lowered his head too, and headed away from them. He glanced at his Uncle.

"So... how much longer do I have to do this?" Zuko asked quietly. Uncle Iroh simply smiled.

"Well, Firelord Zuko, if you need a break, you can of course excuse yourself. But I do hope you won't disappear for the rest of the night. After all, this is a celebration for you, and there are still many people you haven't met or spoken with," Iroh said.

Zuko resisted an irritated sigh and snide remark. Instead, the Firelord bowed his head graciously to his Uncle. "Then I'll return shortly," he said.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as just leaving the crowded area—he was stopped multiple times by people who seemed to have an endless amount of questions and advice to offer him. After many polite thank yous, bows, and reciting his very practiced monologue again and again, he finally made his way inside the palace.

The corridors were quiet in comparison. The Firebender let out an agitated groan once he closed the doors. He wasn't used to this amount of attention and pressure. And suddenly, in the calmness of the hallway, he could feel how tired he was. His eyes stung and his scalp hurt from having his hair pulled up tightly into the topknot adorned by his Firelord crown. His boots felt like they were too small and the layers of robes he wore had grown increasingly heavy and warm. Zuko stopped at the massive door to Katara's room, his heart pounding with anticipation.

As the Firebender stood there, he recalled the first time he went to see the Waterbender in her room back at the Western Air Temple.

He remembered how nervous he was that morning as he made his way to her room. He didn't have any idea of what to say, he just knew that he wanted to fix things between them. He wanted her to look at him the way she had at Ba Sing Se—he wanted to show her that she could believe in his goodness again.

The Firebender remembered his shaky knock, entering when she didn't answer, and the way he froze in the doorway when he caught sight of her. The soft morning light fell upon her face, her bare shoulder poked out of the top of the blankets, her braided hair had come a little undone—he was captivated. He felt like he should leave, but instead, he sat in the center of the room and stared at her. It was as though he'd found this whole other side to Katara. She just looked so peaceful. Her features were unlike any she ever showed him. They were soft and warm, like all she was capable of was love.

Then she woke up.

A smile spread across his face as her startled expression flashed in his mind and he remembered the way it quickly twisted up in to anger. He could hear the faint sound of her furious words in his head. "Why am I ANGRY with you?! You're really sitting in my room right now, asking me that?!"

He had to admit, he handled everything pretty poorly. They yelled back and forth, and finally, he did the one thing he'd never imagined himself doing. The Firebender grabbed the angry Waterbender and kissed her.

The Firebender grinned at the thought of the impulsive, awkward first kiss. He remembered how he quickly pulled away from the Waterbender and all he saw was the wide-eyed look of genuine surprise on her face and the redness that had crept into her cheeks.

It seemed like so long ago sometimes, and then, in some ways—he felt like he'd just stumbled out of her door, still reeling from the unexpected kiss.

The Firelord raised his fist and knocked on the door.

There was no answer, as usual, and he let himself in. The smell of lillies and sweet-smelling incense wafted throughout the room and he made his way to her bedside. The window was open, allowing a warm breeze to swirl its way through the delicate curtains and let the last bit of sunlight in. The warm glow fell upon her face and he smiled—she was so beautiful.

"Katara," Zuko said as he sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm here." He put her hand in his, happy to feel the warmth beneath her skin. Thanks to the Avatar, she was alive and growing stronger every day. Her skin had regained its beautiful caramel color, she was breathing much easier and her wounds were already mostly healed. She still had wraps around the deep tissue burns on her arms and neck—but Aang worked on healing those every day and soon, those would be healed, too.

So why hadn't she woken up?

The Firebender sighed as he gazed at the sleeping Waterbender. No matter how many times people told him she would be okay, Zuko wouldn't fully believe it until she opened her eyes.

His scalp throbbed, starting to give him a headache. He reached up and yanked the golden pin from his Firelord crown and shook his hair out. As his shaggy black hair fell across his forehead and neck, he felt instant relief. He set the crown on the bedside table and pulled his uncomfortable boots off. After shedding the outermost layers of his many robes, he laid down beside the Waterbender. He listened to her breathe as he stared up at the sheer, red and gold embroidered fabric that covered her canopy bed.

"I wish I could just stay here the rest of the night," Zuko said with a chuckle as he turned to look at her sleeping face, "I've only been Firelord for a couple hours and I'm exhausted by it." The Firebender reached over and brushed her hair from her face. "...It's a good thing Aang helped prepare me for it or I would have sounded like a complete idiot." He looked over the Waterbender's unchanged expression, thinking of how close he came to losing her a mere two weeks ago. His mind drifted to the young Avatar who worked so hard to heal her. "...I owe him everything."

Zuko gazed back up at the draped fabric.

Aang loved Katara. Katara knew. Zuko knew. Everyone knew. But that didn't stop Zuko from falling for her.

And luckily, that didn't stop Katara from falling for him.

Once everything calmed down, Zuko met with Aang because he felt he should come clean and explain everything. But, as soon as the Firebender brought up Katara, the Avatar just smiled a sad smile and said he didn't want to talk about it. He admitted he saw something between them awhile ago, but ignored it. Their fight with Ozai confirmed what he thought he saw, and while he was sad, he couldn't be angry at either of them. Aang said he wanted them to be happy, and ensured Zuko that he didn't need to feel bad.

They were okay—they were still friends.

Aang managed to be extremely understanding about the situation, even though he was heartbroken.

Zuko closed his eyes. He was grateful, unsure of whether or not he'd be able to be that way himself if the tables were turned. Sokka and Hakoda seemed relatively supportive once they wrapped their heads around it. They did not understand at all, which actually didn't really bother the Firebender much. He knew they would come around, eventually. He didn't expect anyone to understand, especially not at first. They were expecting her to be with Aang, the Avatar, afterall—so anyone else would seem less than. And Zuko did feel less than sometimes, especially with how gracious and mature the Airbender was about everything.

Toph and his Uncle were both the most supportive, as expected.

Zuko lay there, feeling the light of the sun leave his face as it set behind the horizon. Even though he knew the Waterbender loved him, and that he loved her—he wasn't sure exactly what that meant outside of sneaking around together. They could finally openly be together, but what would happen when she woke up? Would she want to stay with him in the Fire-nation? As the newly appointed Firelord, Zuko knew he couldn't leave. The idea of not being together when it was finally okay to be caused a bit of panic inside of the Firebender. They never spoke of the future before, they just enjoyed their time in the present, like two fools.

If she wanted to stay in the Fire-nation, did that mean they'd have to be married? Not that he didn't want to marry her, but he didn't want to feel forced to because he was Firelord and had to uphold a certain image. What if she didn't want to marry him? What if she did, but wanted to live in the Water-tribe?

Zuko drew in a much needed breath. She would probably want to stay here. But, if she wanted to return to the Southern or Northern Water-tribe, they would make it work. They could write letters, he could visit by ship as frequently as he could...

Zuko's heart wrenched. No, that wouldn't be good enough, the distance would be devastating. He opened his eyes and turned to the Waterbender. He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over her, touching his lips to hers.

Immediately he felt her lips twitch in response, and his golden eyes snapped open as he leaned back in disbelief. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. As those blue eyes focused on him, a weak smile pulled up the corners of Katara's mouth.

"..Don't you Firebenders know... you can't just kiss someone because they're asleep?" she said softly. He stared at her for a moment, speechless. Finally, Zuko let out a short laugh as happiness overtook him.

"Katara," he said in an exhaled breath, "I missed you." She lifted one of her arms and ran her fingers through his messy hair, bringing her hand down to touch his scarred cheek.

"I missed you too," Katara said, gazing at him, "...I could hear you calling my name."

Zuko leaned down and pressed his lips against hers again. Katara smiled and returned his fevered kiss. The sensation of happiness, relief, and love was better than anything the Firebender ever felt in his life. He wrapped her in his arms and held her as close.

Suddenly—all of the questions, the what was going to happen, where they were going, it didn't matter—Zuko pressed his cheek against hers as he embraced her. Foolish or not, he decided what mattered most was the two of them were right here, in the present. His lips found hers again and as they moved across one another's, the Firelord knew he wouldn't be returning to the boring, crowded party outside.

This was where he wanted to be and this was where he would stay.

[[the end]]