For the second night running, Katara found herself in front of a mirror dressed in formal garb of the Fire Nation. For the second night running, her hair seemed to be snarled by the humidity beyond all help. It was, she reflected, a frustration she did not need on top of everything else that had happened.

They had spent the afternoon on tour of the capitol with Azula, Ozai and a creepy old woman named Li. Katara, having toured the capitol multiple times with Aang, Zuko and Toph, had prepared herself for an afternoon of monotony. What she had got had been far worse. Everywhere there were signs of war. Factories were pumping thick smoke into the air, and each one seemed to be geared for war. This one was for munitions. That one was for airship assembly. When Aang had ventured to ask why there was a need for this factory or that, the answer had always been the same: homeland security.

As if that wasn't enough, Sokka had taken every opportunity imaginable to compliment the Fire Nation's ingenuity. He had even requested for a tour of the airship factory, and had of course been denied. Katara wouldn't have minded so much – Sokka had always been a bit of a tinkerer – except that he seemed determined to attribute every little invention to Azula's reign.

Toph had been just as unbearable. Katara was hard pressed to think of a single comment that the younger girl had made throughout the whole afternoon that hadn't somehow ended up as an insult to Ozai. Katara couldn't blame her. The guy had tried to burn Toph's whole nation to the ground. Just sharing a palanquin with him had made Katara feel ill. But with every comment, Ozai's jaw seemed to tighten.

Katara cast a look Toph's way. She was once again crumpling her evening wear as she sprawled on the bed. She looked like she was even wearing the same dress. Katara scowled. If Toph kept going the way she was Ozai would end up strangling her with his bare hands. If it went on much longer, Katara would have to say something, accusations of motherliness or none.

For the second night running, a guard entered uninvited after the briefest of knocks. Katara glared. He didn't seem to realise or care that she or Toph could have been emerging indecently clothed from the room's one bathroom. He ignored her, staring fixedly at the room's back wall.

"Dinner will be served shortly." And he turned on his heel and left.

They fell into step one by one. Katara huffed her hair out of her face as they went. Fire Nation people were impossible.

It was the same room, the same vastness, the same ghastly painting on the opposite wall – Katara spared it only a glance before she looked fixedly away – but the table had been replaced. Where the mammoth table had stood the night before, there was now a smaller arrangement of carved wood. As Katara drew closer, she saw dragons entwined about the table's clawed legs. They spat fire and chased one another's tails as they rose to support the table top itself. So fine was the detail of the work, that it took Katara moment to realise there were people already seated.

She nearly fell into her cushion and looked up. Ozai sat almost directly opposite her. Toph had flopped down into the cushion next to him and immediately started up a conversation.

"So Loser Lord, how about that bonsai farming?"

Katara's eyes widened as Ozai beared his grinding teeth in an expression she could only guess was meant to be an imitation of an ingratiating smile.

"I do not farm bonsais." He growled.

"Huh," Toph continued, nonplussed by his response. Her hands, while exploring the table setting before her, had found the dish of ornamental cherries in its centre. She dragged them toward her and tossed one in her mouth, "Picked you for one. Figured you'd need a hobby what with your forced retirement and all."

"I am not retired. I am-,"

At that moment, Azula entered the room. Katara followed Ozai's lead to the letter; the bow she gave was every bit as reluctant. She sat up quickly.

Toph didn't seem to have noticed, or simply didn't care, "Oh that's right! The Phoenix King. Hey, if you're king of the whole world but you're not actually welcome in all parts, does that mean you're banished? You know, like Zuko?" She paused and, almost as though Toph had known she would, Azula laughed as she folded herself onto her raised dais.

"Your disrespect grows wearisome, earth-,"

"Do not indulge her so, Father," Azula chimed as she plucked cherries, dish and all from in front of Toph, "Your temper only encourages her."

"I am no exile and Zuko-,"

"Is less than a spider fly. Anyone of great importance knows this. I do not see why you persist in playing the child's game."

Katara shifted in her seat, her elbow knocking against the person sitting to her left. Katara turned, "Oh I'm sorr-,"

"Good evening, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Do not worry. Your clumsiness is forgiven." The words came between dry lips. The voice seemed almost to croak. The eyes were hooded and sunken and lined with experience. But they were bright and Katara knew instantly that they missed little. It was Li.

"Uh… Good evening." Katara didn't realise she was leaning back until she bumped Aang's shoulder.

"So for you to really be an exile, Aang'd probably have to toss you into space then?" Toph's voice floated across the table.

Katara stifled a groan.

"So where are the rest of the guests tonight?" Aang was asking as the first course was set down in front of Katara. It looked like a thick green curry. It smelled like a thick green curry. She lifted a tiny morsel with her chopsticks and placed it on her tongue.

It was a thick green curry. And it burned.

As Katara tried to stifle her coughs and disguise her wild grab for the nearest glass of water, Azula kept on talking, "A formal feast is necessary to receive the Avatar and foreign dignitaries however given our current economic situation and the increased pressures of ensuring our national security, constant feasting would be a frivolous and unjustifiable expenditure."

Katara did not miss the look Azula cast her as she continued to cough, or the amusement in the other girl's voice.

"Oh…" Aang said. Katara wondered if he'd actually understood any of that and glanced sideways at him. He did seem to be digesting it, but slowly. Most of the people they had had to deal with in mediating disputes had been plain spoken. Chief Arnook, King Kuei and her father had always made sure to leave out the political jargon when talking to Aang. But she could never imagine Azula saying simply 'we can't afford to feast our nobles because we're spending a lot more money on weapons.'

Come to think of it, she had to wonder what the morning's meeting had been like for Aang with all those Fire Nation nobles not saying what they really meant. Maybe she should have insisted on going-,

No.

Chief Arnook's and King Kuei's indulgence had probably put off Aang's learning to deal with politics as it was. With luck, he'd live to see the next king and the next chief and they wouldn't be personal friends with whom he'd fought a war. He'd have to learn to deal with political games and political talk and she couldn't always be there to explain. Now was the perfect time to start, even if it wasn't amongst the best company. But he'd survived a conversation with Koh the face stealer. He could survive the minefield that was Fire Nation diplomacy. And besides, they'd all be there to back him up if things went bad.

"Katara?"

"Huh?" The curry had been removed. It had been replaced by some kind of poultry dish in an angry red sauce. Katara glanced first at this and then Sokka, who was scrutinising her.

"I was just talking about the play we saw at Ember Island and how accurate they were about you-,"

"They were not!"

Sokka grinned.

"Oh yeah!" Toph piped up, "I mean the rest of us were way off. But they got Loser Lord right too! Showed up at the last minute, full of hot air, threw some fire round. Shame they got the part about winning wrong, huh Loser Lord?"

There was a slam. All the crockery rattled in its serving dishes. For a moment it seemed as if the whole room shook. A shadow towered over the table and Katara's gaze followed it from table edge, up and up and up to Ozai's livid face.

"You will address me as Prince Ozai or know the consequences!"

Toph, the only occupant of the table whose gaze had not been drawn to Ozai, quirked her head to the side and grinned, "What're you gonna do? Cry?"

Ozai balled his fists and hissed. For one terrifying instant, Katara thought she saw smoke curl from between his teeth. She drew back, a warning on the tip of her tongue and her hands already reaching for the nearest liquid substances. But it was just a trick of the light.

"Calm yourself Father,' Azula said from her dais. She seemed unmoved by the display. A piece of the poultry dish was poised on her chopsticks and as Katara watched, she bit into it, chewed and swallowed before continuing, "remember to whom you speak. This is the emissary for the Earth Kingdom, with whom we hope to have very close future relations."

Ozai's fiery gaze turned upon Azula for a split second. The amusement that had still adorned Azula's face vanished. Ozai stared. And then he relaxed. With an obvious effort, the tension left his body. Katara thought she actually saw him roll his shoulders once. He turned back to Toph.

"My apologies. You will excuse me." He swept from the room without another look at any of them.

Servers entered the room and too late Katara realised she had not touched her dish. It was whisked from in front of her and replaced with what looked like tiny slimy dumplings encased in cabbage leaves.

"Well that was rude." Toph broke the silence. She picked up one of the dumplings and ate it without incident.

Katara tried to follow Toph's example and placed a whole dumpling on her tongue rather than nibbling at its edge the way she was tempted to do. Immediately the texture and taste assaulted her senses. It felt as though someone had set fire to her mouth and, as she exhaled, the fire spread up her nose. She could feel a sneeze coming on, but worst was when she tried to swallow. The food slipped and slid down her throat leaving a brilliant trail in its wake. Never, on all her trips to the Fire Nation, had she tasted anything so spiced. It was as though the sun had risen inside her chest and thoroughly burnt her insides.

"Personally I don't see why you keep him around." Toph was saying.

"Toph…" Katara tried to wheeze an admonition but it barely escaped her lips. The food had reached her stomach. She could feel it sitting there as though in a single mouthful she had swallowed an entire meal.

Toph ignored her, "I mean he's the worst kind of parent, thinking he's always right and he knows what's best for you. But I guess being Fire Lord you can just send him away when he gets annoying."

The tension in Katara's chest had settled around her abdomen, the sneeze was still held captive somewhere between her nose and throat. And now she could feel something rising. The muscles of her lower abdomen seized. The sensation ran up her throat and she knew what was coming. She had to move.

She stood, "Please excuse me I'm not feeling well!" she choked out, and ran from the room.

Down darkened corridors past sconce after sconce after sconce she fled. She ran blind. Azula had kept them to parts of the palace unknown. They had been accompanied everywhere but when they managed to sneak off. In moments Katara no longer knew where she was and no longer did she care. Bile rose in her throat and only through sheer force of will did she manage to force it down again. Twice her throat burned now. Her gaze fixed on woven rug after woven rug that led her on down the strange corridors, until at last, her breathing left ragged by her continuous retching, she had to slow.

She threw out a hand and caught the wall, using it to guide her along. While it seemed that the immediacy of her nausea had faded, it still simmered away around her middle and she felt as though a hiccup was trapped half-formed in her throat.

Ahead of her, the corridor she was standing in spilled into another. It was this sight more than anything that made her realise her predicament. She was lost. But a moment later she was distracted. Framing the mouth of the corridor were two vases, one red and one blue. Their glaze glittered as it reflected the light of the sconces, but the reflection was not enough to hide the intricate paintings of dragons on their sides.

Katara spared the delicate paintings only a glance before she raced for the left vase.

She had only a moment to wonder how old and priceless this particular vessel was before she surrendered her meal to it. By the time she was done, she no longer cared.

Vile as her mouth now tasted and her throat now felt, the plaguing nausea that that dish had brought on had abated, and she felt a lot better. In fact, as she straightened a little and looked at her surroundings properly for the first time since she had left the dining room, Katara realised that she was actually feeling quite good.

She was alone.

Really alone. Peeking out of the corridor mouth, she looked left and right. There was no servant, no courtier, no guard. For the first time since their arrival in the Fire Nation, she was free.

Katara turned left. She couldn't say what made her hurry. Maybe it was the fact that this was a palace and no corridor could stay empty for long. Maybe it was the fact that the smell of her most recent exertions was bound to draw someone soon. Maybe it was that she had a limited amount of time before her absence was noted. She didn't care. She hurried.

Her course was random. Left, right, left, left, right, left, dead end, turn back. And just when she was beginning to wonder how she had happened upon the only portion of palace that was not routinely patrolled, Katara turned into a corridor and saw a guard turning into its other end.

She ducked back around the corner and flattened herself against the wall. Why was she hiding? Why didn't she want to get caught? She wasn't a fugitive. He could give her directions.

And that would be the end of her freedom.

So? In the first, it wasn't as though she was a prisoner and in the second, she would never leave her friends here without reason. The lower city probably could use a visit from the Painted Lady, but then they would probably all guess it was her and from what she had seen so far, a foreigner's presence, even while administering charity, may not go over too well.

But then there was Zuko.

Zuko, alone in his cell and not eating, nursing injuries she hadn't seen and couldn't possibly begin to imagine. Zuko, moody and despairing and unwilling to open up to his visitors. Zuko, whose release they were going to attempt to negotiate the following morning.

She couldn't pass up this opportunity to see him.

She backed down the corridor from which she had come, quickly, quickly, quietly. She silently cursed the way her garments restricted the length of her stride and the whispering they made with every movement. She was too slow. The guard would hear her.

She reached another corner and turned without waiting to remember from which way she had come. She was passing a large tapestry of fire lilies, one she had thought looked familiar and that she may even have passed at some point during this palace stay, when she looked up and gasped. Advancing toward her from the end of this corridor, alternately lit and shadowed every moment as it passed by the wall sconces, was a giant walking vase.

Katara, her hands clapped over her mouth to stifle the sound she'd made, found herself fighting to restrain a giggle. Heavily shadowed by the large vase – the same vase she had visited earlier, she noted. Apparently it had been discovered and hurriedly scheduled for cleaning – was a set of floor-length, pale servant's robes.

Katara flattened herself against the wall. The servant would reach her first. The servant was carrying a large vase. If she stood still and stayed quiet in this, a shadowed portion of the corridor, perhaps the walking vase would pass her by and she could flee before the guard caught up with her.

She pressed herself back into the wall, her fingers digging into the large tapestry, as though in doing so she would somehow better disguise herself as part of the weave.

And then she fell through.

It took only a moment. With a huff, all the breath was knocked out of her and she was sitting on her backside in the dark. The tapestry was fluttering back into place in front of her and she was obscured from the corridor just as what little light that made its way through the weave was obscured by the passing servant's shadow.

Katara scrambled to her feet and turned around. The corridor she was standing in was completely bare of all decoration on both walls and floors. It was lit by naked candles at far greater separations than the more opulent corridors she had seen so far. The space was narrow, barely enough for two slim people to pass side by side.

Katara stared. Had she happened upon a secret passage way, or a servant's corridor?

Almost as soon as her mind framed the question, she realised that she didn't care. In either case, this was her way out of the palace unnoticed. She hurried on.

Within the hour, she stood outside Zuko's prison cell. She tried to slide the door open slowly, gingerly, as though somehow that would stop the squeaking of the hinges. The journey here had been uneventful after she finally found a way out of the palace via the kitchen hands' exit, largely because she'd kept stealth about her. She'd had to lie a little about inspecting Zuko's wounds just to get in. Luckily the guard had been eating a dinner of soup at the time. A small tug at the liquid had been all the convincing he needed.

The door squeaked. How the door squeaked! Katara cringed as the sound grated its way down her spine and reverberated down the corridor. And when there was a wide enough gap for her to slip into the room, he was already sitting up on the bed, peering at her.

"What?" He grunted.

"You know, for someone whose friends just came half way across the world to save him, you're not very welcoming." She said by way of answer. She glanced from side to side and spotted a small wooden stool in the corner. She pulled it roughly into the middle of the room and closed the stiff door before sitting in front of him.

He regarded her, "I didn't ask you to come for me."

"But you knew we would."

He gazed at her for a long while, the shadows around his eyes seeming to deepen in contrast to his ever-bright irises. But even they seemed dimmed somehow. They were as yellow as ever and yet some of the light seemed to have been leeched out of them.

He looked away, "No. I didn't."

"Zuko…" She trailed off, not know what to say, "What happened to you?"

"I already told you! I was overthrown!" He threw his arms up in the air, glaring at her. Then, as though that simple pronouncement had sapped him of energy, he flopped back onto his cot with a great huff of expelled breath.

"I can see that," she replied tartly, "that's not what I meant and you know it."

His only response was to roll so that his back was to her, his shoulders rigid.

"We thought you'd be ready to fight. We thought you'd be ready to take back what's yours. Instead you send us away! You're acting like you've already given up. You never give up. What happened?" It was all she could do to stay seated.

He deflated, shoulders sagging. And when he spoke, he spoke to the wall.

"They – Azula – killed Mai," he swallowed audibly, "She killed her, in front of me."

Katara could not find words. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault and that it would be ok and that no matter how much it hurt he could go on. But she could not find words.

"Oh Zuko…" it came from her in a sigh. It came from her in a sob. But he did not turn to face her.

Cloying silence suffocated the cell.

"Did you love her?" She breathed it. She didn't know why she whispered. There seemed no right way to ask that question.

"Yes!" his voice rang with defiance, banishing the thick air, but it seemed to wither as her stare bored into his back.

"No… I don't know! What does that have to do it?!" He rolled onto his back. A hand fisted in his hair and he pulled at the oily strands as he glared at the ceiling.

Katara said nothing.

"I used to love her. Before…" He trailed off.

"Before you were banished?"

"Yeah." He pushed himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the wall with his legs crossed and an elbow leant upon his knee. On the hemp-and-iron cot, it did not look like a comfortable position.

"When I got back, things were different. I was different. Everything had just changed! I still loved her but…"

"You weren't in love with her."

He glared up at her through his lashes. Reproach battled with assent in his gaze, "yes."

"What's that look for?" She retorted, "You don't think I know? Why do you think I broke up with Aang?"

He raised his head this time to look her full in the face. She recoiled, too late realising that this was not something she wanted to discuss with him right now.

"You broke up with the Avatar?"

"Not that it's any of your business, and actually it was more like a mutual-,"

"You broke up with the Avatar."

"That's what I just said!" Her hands fisted the fine silk of her skirt but she didn't care. He was angry, that was all. She made him talk about what was hurting him, and now she'd left herself vulnerable and he was taking his hurt out on her.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just-," He half raised his hands, defensive.

"Just what? If you're allowed to date someone you don't love, why aren't I?" She spat. The sooner this conversation was over, the better.

"He's the Avatar."

"And I'm the daughter of the chief of the Southern Water Tribe. I'm not just some little peasant any more." Despite herself, she raised her chin a fraction.

"That's not what I meant! I meant… He worships you."

"Yeah, well, I'm not so sure that's a good thing with the world the way it is." She looked away, "And besides, worship isn't love."

"What're you talking about?"

She could hear the cot creaking as though he was shifting about, but she didn't look back at him. If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to think about any of these things. Not now. Not yet. There was too much going on and she didn't know the answer to half the questions she was asking herself. She certainly wasn't ready to put anything into words, least of all to Zuko.

She sighed. He'd still be watching her. She knew if she looked back she'd face that hard, determined gaze.

"Things were getting missed," she began, "Every time he thought we'd finished something he'd want to go and ride koi-fish or moose-lions or track the lion-turtle when there were always more things to do. Like you-,"

"Me?"

Despite herself, she glared at him for interrupting, "Yes you. We should've been here-,"

Zuko gave her a sharp look.

"He should have been here. He should've come when he heard there was trouble. He should have been here months before that but instead he just wanted to goof around like-… Like a kid! Rather than checking up on you-,"

"I don't need anyone to check up on me!"

"Right. Except for that there was a coup when Aang didn't."

"That wasn't his fault!" Zuko's cot rattled. The sound echoed round the room, leaving in its wake a hollow silence.

Katara stared, horrified at what she had just said, then swallowed and wet her lips.

"No. I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean… Look, I shouldn't have to explain it to you. You already know what I'm talking about. I love Aang. He's fun and loving and courageous and he saved the world. But it just wasn't working out the way I thought it would."

Zuko nodded and then dropped his gaze again, his chin falling almost to his chest. Katara let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. With that reminder of his departed girlfriend, the interrogation, it seemed, was over.

She peered at Zuko through the bars. He was slumped, staring at his knees. His brief moment of vigour at her having spurned one of his closest friends and most trusted advisors had faded once more into apathetic despair.

"Are you going to be okay?" she received a stiff nod by way of response, "I'm here if you want to talk about-," she was cut off by an equally stiff shake of his head.

Katara shifted. She reached out a hand and then let it fall on the bars of his cell. They sat in silence for a time. She began to wonder if it was her signal to leave. Then he spoke again.

"She was right."

"About what?"

"Everything!"

"Oh well that's helpful."

He answered with a glare. She fell silent again.

"We fought. A lot."

"Well that's normal. Aang and I used to fight all the ti-,"

He looked up and glared at her again, the old fire in his eyes. She shrank back and bit her lip. It had been too good a comparison.

"She couldn't understand why I'd done it. She thought… She thought I'd betrayed the Fire Nation by joining Aang."

"What?! That's ridiculous. Everyone knows you joined Aang to try and save the Fir-,"

"You're not listening. She wanted to understand. She had me explain it so many times. She told me that most of the nobles felt the same way she did. She warned me about all of this," he waved his hand at the high window but Katara knew he meant the coup, "She told me what I had to do to keep it from happening."

"And did you do it?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"She told me I had to execute my Father and sister!"

It was as though his shout had left a ringing in her ears and a stone in her throat. She couldn't speak. She could only stare. For days they, all of them, had been talking about 'taking down' Ozai and Azula. They had even talked directly about killing them. It had all seemed so much simpler in the abstract. In a hot-blooded battle like an invasion or an Agni Kai, it was almost easy to imagine those two lives ending or at least ignore the fact that someone would have to do the deed. It wouldn't take more than the spur of a moment.

But here and now in the cooling darkness of Zuko's prison cell, Katara found herself suddenly reminded that the two people they had been talking about were people. They were a father and a sister, a brother and a niece. To even contemplate their son, brother and monarch putting them to death left Katara feeling as though iced water had been poured down her back.

"Oh…" It took her a moment to realise the sound had escaped her lips, "How could she even say that?"

He glanced up at her again, "She was right."

"No. Nobody could expect you to. They're your family, for better or worse. They're your family. It's what makes you better than them, that you couldn't."

"You think so?" He grunted, "I think it just makes them right. I'm weak. I couldn't do what was necessary. And now they've won. And she's dead. And it's my-,"

"Don't you dare!" She was on her feet in an instant.

He stared up at her and in a flash she was reminded of that moment when he had knelt before her in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se. Now, as then, he was staring up at her in bewilderment.

"It's not your fault! It's not anyone's fault but Azula's and Ozai's. I understand you're upset. I know; you're mourning her and that's good and you need to. But you can't blame yourself, Zuko. You can't let this drag you down. We need you. We're not going to get through this without you. And besides, it wasn't your fault."

He looked down, refusing to meet her gaze. She waited, but after a moment, he turned aside.

"Fine!" she yelled. "Mope by yourself then. We'll get you out of here on our own!" She rose and didn't bother moving the stool back to its place by the wall. She tried to slam the door but the rusting hinges screeched in protest. With a cry of frustration, she stormed from the cell.

___________

The next morning, as Katara stood before the curtained doorway that hid the Fire Lord's audience chamber, her thoughts still dwelt on Zuko. The guard who had come for them that morning had summoned only Aang, but they had insisted upon accompanying him. They were going to negotiate Zuko's release. Would he even appreciate it?

With that thought weighing on her mind, Katara entered the chamber with her friends. It was not at all as Aang had described. There was no table. There were no councillors. There was only Ozai, kneeling before the wall of flames that Katara guessed Azula was hiding behind.

Katara cast a sideways look at Aang. He too was looking around in bewilderment.

"Where is everyone?" His voice sounded so hollow in the huge, empty space.

"Customarily those answering a royal summons bow before addressing the Fire Lord." Ozai intoned from where he knelt. Aang looked back at Katara. She shrugged. But Sokka was already hurrying forward to kneel in line with Ozai, though thankfully a short distance away. Toph followed suit. Katara pursed her lips. This was not a good idea. But Aang was already following the pair of them and she had no choice but to do the same.

"Where is everyone?" Aang asked again.

"You have been summoned so that your pleas for mercy on behalf of Zuko, convicted of high treason, might be heard." Azula voice floated from behind the flames. Katara peered through them, trying to catch a glimpse of the other girl's face.

"The opinions of my council have already been heard. Whether or not Zuko receives mercy depends now upon you." Azula finished.

Silence rang around the room. And then,

"Alright, what do you want?" Toph said.

"Toph…" Katara warned, but Toph threw out an arm and cut her off.

"No Katara. This's what they've been after the whole time. They didn't keep Zuko alive to lure us into a trap. They kept him alive 'cause they know they can get stuff from us if they let us have him."

"We won't give you anything!" Aang said, but Katara was still looking at Toph. She was rolling her eyes.

"The only things you've got to give are yourself and a bunch of old temples, Twinkletoes. Let the money handle this one," She pointed at the throne, "Let's deal."

"Wait!" Sokka said, "First, Aang and Iroh are off the table. We're not trading people for people-,"

"I can't believe you're talking about trading for someone's life!" Katara's voice sounded far higher than she had intended it to but she didn't care, "You can't just-!"

"Hey, we all wanted a solution without violence, and this is it," Sokka said, "Just work with it, Katara." He pinned her with his eyes. They were not laughing, not even smiling the way they almost always were. But neither were they narrowed with the anger that overtook him in the heat of battle. His brows were set and determined and he was still staring at her. And behind it all was that manic light that always seemed to enter his expression whenever he'd hit upon a truly brilliant – and truly crazy – idea. Sokka had a plan.

"You wound me," Azula was saying, "Misguided though he is, Zuko is my only brother. I love him dearly and would like nothing better than show him the same mercy he showed me. But I can't just let him go." Katara could hear the sick grin she just knew was twisting the other girl's features. The sweet lilt to her voice almost had Katara gagging.

"He has already overthrown me once, and with your help, no less. What would he do, with the Fire Nation divided in loyalties the way it is? No." The flames dropped away from in front of her and now Katara could see that perverse smile, those cruel eyes.

"I do not wish to barter with my brother's freedom. I simply require a little security, a token of good faith, if you will. After all, I cannot release Zuko if his or others' intentions are anything less than honourable."

"But if all you wanted to do was negotiate Zuko's release, why did you ask for my support yesterday?" Aang's own mouth was twisted half-way between a scowl and a pout and his brows were furrowed.

Azula laughed, "Am I not allowed to hope that the Avatar would for once make the right choice?"

Unable to restrain herself, Katara leant sideways and whispered in Aang's ear, "She was just playing with you."

Toph snorted, "Whatever. Can we do this already?"

"Of course. Prince Ozai has an arrangement we find to be most equitable."

At the sound of his name, Ozai rose and unrolled a scroll. He was smirking all over his vile face. The flames reflected in his eyes looked thoroughly creepy. Katara shivered but refused to look away as he began to read.

"In exchange for the release of the traitor Prince Zuko into exile in the Earth Kingdom: all Earth Kingdom territories and contained resources and revenues west of and including New Ozai will be returned to the Fire Nation; Fire Nation restoration crews in other nations will be released from the obligations agreed to under Zuko's rule and all citizens returned to the Fire Nation; Payment of monetary and material peace reparations agreed to by Zuko will cease immediately; Half of the reparations already paid, or materials deemed of equivalent value, will be returned to the Fire Nation over the next five year period; The Avatar will revoke Zuko's bending ability in order to neutralise him as a threat to the crown and; The Avatar will restore the bending ability of Prince Ozai."

Katara sat agog. She was sure that if her eyes opened any wider, they would fall out of her head, and it did not take long for her hanging jaw to grow uncomfortable. She snapped her mouth shut so fast that her teeth clicked. Toph, however, had not missed a beat.

"Some land, tax and whatever else is in it, no more help fixing what you broke, no more war payments, a little payback, Hotman's bending gone and Loser Lord's back. Gotcha. I'm not that map-crazy though. Snoozles, what's west of Omashu?"

"What? Uh…"

"Toph! You can't just give away Earth Kingdom land!"

"Sure I can, Twinkletoes, I'm the emissary from the Earth Kingdom. If the Earth King didn't want me giving away land, he should have sent someone else."

"Toph! Those are people's homes!" Katara almost shouted.

"Yeah, and if you'd all just shut up and let our map guy talk, I could find out whose. Snoozles, is there anything I care about west of Omashu? Like Ba Sing Se or my parents' house?"

"Uh... No… Well there's Haru's village and Kyoshi Island-,"

"Oh great! So nothing I care about then!"

"Toph!" For the first time, Sokka looked worried. Katara narrowed her eyes and looked between him and Toph. The blind girl sat facing the flames but despite her apparent lack of attention, Sokka was still fixing her with a pleading stare.

"Ugh. Fine," She raised her voice and said, "You can have everything west of and including Omashu except Kyoshi Island."

"Agreed." Ozai said, but before he had even got the word out, Toph had thrust a hand out toward his face. Katara rocked back on her heels. She had been on the receiving end of that palm too many times for it to surprise her. But this was Ozai they were talking about, and at that moment Katara felt almost as taken aback as Ozai looked.

"If it's all the same to you, Loser," Toph had not stopped, "I'd rather hear it from the actual Fire Lord."

"Agreed." Azula said even as Ozai's lips curled back in a snarl, ready to respond.

"So the money stuff," Toph trawled on, unawares, "Stop paying whatever you want. I'm pretty sure you've already done it anyway. And we'll give you a quarter back."

"The Water Tribe will match whatever the Earth Kingdom offers." Sokka said quickly. His eyes had remained fixed on Toph.

"Sokka! You can't just-!" At the mention of her tribe, Katara was unable to keep silence any more, but Sokka cut her off with a glare.

"Katara, you didn't really expect to go off flitting round the world for two years then come back and be allowed to speak for our whole tribe, did you? Just let me handle this."

Katara's eyes widened. To her horror, she felt tears prickling at their corners as her mouth trembled into a frown. For an instant, she thought she saw Sokka's gaze soften, but then it hardened once more into that determined, manic look. She blinked furiously to dispel her tears and glared at him.

"Fine! Go ahead and betray our Tribe! If you think Dad'll ever agree to this you're-,"

"Shut up, Sugar Queen."

Katara found herself once again too stunned to speak, her eyes and mouth wide open. But Toph had already moved on.

"A quarter, no more."

"This is not a negotiation." Ozai replied.

"Loser Lord, you bring about as much to this deal as Aang, so unless you're offering to be my very own pet poodle-monkey in exchange for Zuko's release, you should probably just let the important people talk." For the second time in half an hour, Ozai's expression mirrored Katara's. For a moment he seemed too stunned by Toph's response to even be angry, and by the time dark rage had rolled over his features, Toph had resumed talking.

"You're forgetting most of this stuff's gonna be paid to you in seal blubber and coal, and we all know how badly you guys need stuff that'll burn. A quarter, take it or leave it."

"Two fifths." Azula replied coolly.

"A third."

"Agreed."

"Sweet. That just leaves the Water Tribe stuff."

"Yeah, we'll send them home," Sokka waved a hand as though it were nothing. Katara opened her mouth, but he cut her off, "Don't say anything Katara. You can't tell me you weren't worried when you saw that Fire Nation ship in our harbour. We're better off on our own."

"None of this matters!" Aang burst out, "We're not making this deal. You guys are forgetting; I'm the only one who can manipulate bending. I won't take Zuko's bending away and I won't give Ozai's back. I won't let the Fire Nation take over half the Earth Kingdom and I won't hear any more of this!" He was on his feet, a ripple of air the only hint as to how he had got there so fast. Katara stared up at him. There were only a few times in her life when she could remember the seeing this kind of taut fury on that face. His grey eyes were hard and cold under the light of the flames and without realising it, he had fallen into a bending stance, his fists clenched where he would have held his staff, had he had it.

"Aang-," Sokka started, but Aang rounded on him and Sokka shrank back.

"No, Sokka! You can't do this! The deal's off! This meeting is over!" He whirled. Katara half-raised an arm as wind whipped at her face and hair. By the time she looked back, Aang was already at the door, the curtains billowing out of his way. She half-rose, ready to run after him, to console him, but Sokka grabbed her arm. She glared down at him, but immediately halted and sunk back to the floor. His eyes were beseeching. She didn't understand his and Toph's plan. She had no idea what he was doing, but he needed her to stay.

"Ignore Aang," Sokka was already saying. "Zuko's his best friend. He'll do it. He'll whine and make some big speech and then do whatever his girlfriend tells him to." He jerked his thumb at Katara. Katara, for her part, opened her mouth to protest, but was silenced by a nudge in the arm from Toph.

"So, the bending." Sokka said.

"I've got no problem with Hotman's bending being taken away," Toph said, "I told him I'd pay him back for burning my feet. Well here it comes."

Azula chuckled. Ozai did not. Toph was smirking.

"But no way is Loser Lord getting his bending back."

"It's a deal-breaker." Ozai said.

"You know, I really don't think it is," Sokka replied, "Toph's right, Mr Prince Ozai sir. Seeing as you don't have you're bending, you've got no power or anything really to offer this arrangement. I don't see why you should get anything out of it."

With a flash of realisation, Katara's gaze swung round to focus on Azula. A quick glance at Toph and Katara saw that her head was half-cocked with her ear facing Azula too, one of her hands spread flat on the floor.

Azula, for her part, looked inscrutable. But Katara watched and waited.

"Besides," Sokka was still talking, "You said you wanted security. Where's our security if you get your bending back? What's to stop you taking over everything all over again? And then there's the fact that I'm not even sure if Aang knows how to give bending back again. I mean, he could probably learn if he tried hard enough, but then what's to stop him giving Zuko his bending back after a while as well? Seems to me like we're all better off if he just never learns how."

Azula was staring down her nose at Sokka, "You get ahead of yourself. I am still not convinced of the Avatar's willingness to fulfil his part in the deal."

"Well look at it this way," Toph said, "We're agreed on everything else. If we start putting our end in motion, you don't have to hold up your end and release Zuko til Aang's done his thing and Zuko's bending's gone. Deal?"

"And what of my bending you insolent whe-!"

"Shut up, Loser Lord."

"Yes, do be quiet Father."

"So we get Zuko without his bending, you get a lot of land, coal and seal blubber, and everyone but Ozai goes home happy! Whaddaya say?" Sokka grinned.

"Agreed." Azula rose. After a moment, Toph and Sokka followed suit. Katara scrambled after them as all three began to bow.

"Azula, you will not!" Ozai thundered. He too had climbed to his feet but showed no sign of any bow of assent. He was advancing on the throne. But Azula, quick as a snake, had whipped around to face him and was already pacing down the steps.

"You know it occurs to me, Father, that Sokka had a point." A small hand gripped Katara's. Glancing down, she saw that Toph was trying to draw her back, away from the Fire Nation royals.

Sokka's hand fell on her shoulder, "Now we sit back and watch." He whispered.

"As long as you have no bending, you have no claim to power," Azula sounded as though at any moment, she would spit acid, "And the return of your bending does nothing to benefit me or resolve the Fire Nation's current crisis. How strange then, that my council recommended it be added to the terms of the agreement at all."

"Azula, remember to whom you speak," far from sounding intimidated by Azula's tone, Ozai's head was held high and his entire face seemed transported, as though chiselled out of marble, "I instructed you in the ways of bending. I taught you all you needed to know to one day rule this Nation. I named you, the second-born, my successor. I freed you from your prison and helped win you your throne. I am you Lord and Father, deserving of your respect, and now I require-."

"No!" Azula's arms began to whirl. The flames before the throne petered and died. Sparks leapt and sizzled in great sweeping arcs, their light wavering over the room so that tableau after tableau flickered in sharp black-and-white relief before Katara's eyes: Azula crouched ready to strike; Ozai arm's half raised to defend; Ozai, his chiselled face riddled with shocked realisation; Ozai turning, an arm half raised, shielding himself as he fled.

"I am your Lord!" Azula's voice rang through the hall, "What you are, Father, is disloyal!" Brilliance engulfed the room. Thunder exploded off the walls. Katara was lost as the throne room seemed to vanish before her very eyes. For a moment she clung to the warm bodies of her friends either side of her. She didn't know what was happening. She could not see or hear. She had to know what was happening.

Then her ears were ringing and her eyes watering as and a thousand blue flames were spinning, spinning back into focus as the fire before the throne sprang to life. It spilled its familiar blue light over the room, laying bare what had just taken place

Once-Fire-Lord Ozai lay crumpled on the floor.

Katara stared.

Ozai was dead.

She could hardly believe it.

Ozai was dead.

"It occurs to me." Azula was speaking.

Ozai was dead.

"That if disloyalty has entered the ranks of my council, I have no reason to trust the terms they recommended."

Someone shoved past Katara. It was Sokka, "Wait-!"

"That means that our deal is off. GUARDS!" Azula yelled.

Sokka turned back to Katara and Toph. Katara had expected to see horror. She had expected to see panic. After all, hadn't everything just gone horribly wrong? But no, the look on Sokka's face could charitably be described as concern, though he was gripping his chin between thumb and forefinger and worrying his lower lip in the way he was want to do while thinking.

"What now, genius?" Toph hissed.

"I'm working on it!" He hissed back.

"I hate to say I told you so. But I told you so." Toph muttered.

Katara seemed to be the only one who had noticed that three guards had entered the room.

"You, take them back to their rooms and have someone see that they stay there. You! Have someone come to clean up this mess, and you," Azula paused and threw them a glittering smile that only Katara saw, "Have arrangements made for dear Zuzu's execution. Sundown in the plaza will do nicely, I think."

"No!" Katara's shout at last seemed to alert Toph and Sokka to the fact that something was going on. But a guard was already bearing down upon them.

"You are to be escorted to your rooms. Follow me." He turned on his heel.

Katara fell into a bending stance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toph do the same.

Azula laughed that high, tinkling laugh, "Do not be absurd. Two of you are unarmed and before the third could lay a hand upon me, there would be so many guards in this room that you would never make it out alive."

"C'mon." Sokka began following their assigned guard. After a moment, Katara and Toph followed.

"So what now?" Toph muttered as they exited the audience chamber.

"We find Aang," Sokka replied, "We let him know what's happened. We-,"

Katara fell in behind the two of them as they continued their muttered strategies. Her head felt as though it were swimming. Ozai was dead. Their plan – Sokka's and Toph's plan – had succeeded, but too well. Ozai was dead. Zuko's father was dead. Azula had killed him just like that and now… Now Zuko was scheduled to be executed at sundown.

They had to get Zuko out of here. There was no way around it. They would have to stage a break-out, before sundown, in broad daylight, now.

A strange sense of déjà vu permeated Katara's still-reeling mind. Her gaze fixed upon a tapestry of fire lilies unfortunately placed exactly in the middle of two sconces so that the delicate beauty of the needlework was largely shrouded in shadow.

She had fallen a little behind the others as they plotted and planned. Now she stopped dead, indecision further clouding her mind and holding her tongue. Biting her lip, she opened her mouth to call. Here and now was their opportunity. They had to go. But if she called the guard would hear. If she called they'd lose their chance.

It took only a split second to make her decision. Katara glanced at the guard, but as always he was resolutely facing front and simply trusting that they would follow. She glanced at the tapestry, still and silent. Then Katara darted sideways into the rough hallways beyond the tapestry. The fabric barrier settled back into place behind her.

"Hey-…" She heard Toph's voice out in the corridor. She had noticed.

"What?" Sokka said.

"Nothing." Toph answered.

"Oh!" Sokka exclaimed, "Uh… Oh! I am so glad that the three of us got out of that alive, aren't you Toph?"

"Oh yes!" Toph's reply was far too loud, "All three of us. That was a close one."

Katara stifled a snort. For people who had just orchestrated the downfall of the most evil man in the world, the pair of them had no subtlety.

But their voices were fading fast and she didn't know how much time she would have. Would the guard even notice that one of his charges had gone missing? How fast would they find Aang and think to look for her? Would she be able to rescue Zuko and get back into the palace?

Katara turned on her heel and began wending her way through the servant's corridors, her mind abuzz.

No. As soon as she and Zuko left the prison tower, the alarm would be sounded. They'd have to make a run for it and trust that the others would catch up to them later on. Sokka and Toph had guessed what she was up to. They'd find Aang and make sure everyone got out of here safely.

She couldn't take Appa or the ship. Her friends and her tribesmen would need both. She and Zuko would have to make their escape on foot. If she headed for somewhere familiar, somewhere they had been before, surely the others would think to look there, or else she and Zuko could find passage to the Earth Kingdom… Somehow.

Vague memories of the route she had taken the previous night guided her steps. It was probably not the most direct route, and several times she stopped at crossways which may take her more directly to her destination. However she always decided in favour of familiarity. She couldn't afford to get lost right now.

What if they took condemned prisoners down to the plaza early? She could get into the prison fairly easily and once she had Zuko at her back, breaking out again shouldn't be too hard. All they had to do was make it to the crater wall. The scrub that grew on the volcano's side would give them plenty of cover so long as they stayed off the path, and once they reached the lower city, they could lose themselves in the crowd.

But she wouldn't have a hope of getting into the plaza tower.

Worry leant wings to her feet. In minutes, she had reached the kitchens and was racing through the steam and scents of jasmine rice and curry. Lunch was being prepared already. Belatedly Katara remembered that she had skipped breakfast in favour of the failed council and her stomach growled. She sped up and darted out the kitchen exit into the small yard that received fresh goods from market.

It had been empty the night before. Now it was swarmed with people, carts and livestock. The smell of raw vegetables, animals and sweat permeated the thick midday air, a stark contrast to the scents of the kitchen. Animals bleated and people shouted. Carts rumbled and komodo rhinos moaned. And everywhere was movement.

Katara paused only a moment to get her bearings before beginning to thread her way between the carts going to and fro and the people hurrying this way and that with arms laden. She hardly noticed any of them. Her eyes were fixed on the exit. And so she was no more than half-way across the yard when she spotted her first obstacle. The gate, unguarded by night, was now manned by two soldiers who were watching the carts roll through with bored expressions on their face.

Katara looked desperately from side to side as though hoping there would be a conveniently-placed tree or fountain near the walls on either side of the gate so that she could engineer her own escape. Instead, her face lit up when she hit upon an even better idea.

A dumpy little elderly woman had just finished unloading crates of milk from a cart and was now having trouble securing the bolt that held the back of the cart in place. Katara hurried over.

"Here, let me help you with that." She said, and brushing the woman's hands aside, she thumped the bolt and rammed it home. The woman smiled up at her for a moment but as soon as she met Katara's gaze, she frowned and turned away, hurrying to the driver's seat of her cart and urging her komodo rhino into a walk. Katara scowled after her. That had been very rude.

Almost too late, she remembered her plan. She hurried after the cart and caught up with it just as it was reaching the gate. Careful to stay just behind the driver's seat so that the unfriendly woman would not spot her, she laid a hand upon the side of the cart and walked sedately through the gate, smiling sweetly at the guards as though she went by this way every day. They didn't even blink.

Once they had crossed the stretch of clear pavement that ringed the palace, she released the cart and withdrew into the shadow of a mansion's high wall. She watched the cart amble on down the street before remembering she was on a time limit. Once again, the city rang of quiet desolation. While traffic from the palace frequented this street, the sounds of the carts and people seemed to be shut in as though no-one existed outside this space.

Katara was left to wander down nearly-deserted street after nearly-deserted street. She passed the odd palanquin, but they were few and far between. Only servants and soldiers were out on foot. The first time she saw a patrol of soldiers, she cursed her decision to forego Fire Nation attire that day in favour of her more nationalistic Water Tribe garb. She stood out like a sore thumb. Immediately she busied herself with weeding one of the immaculately kept gardens that adorned the houses. The soldiers passed her by without incident.

It seemed to take her an age to reach the prison tower. Surely it had been an hour and a half already. She had had to stop so many times for soldiers. It couldn't have taken Azula's guards more than ten minutes to get here. What if Zuko was already gone?

Hiding her fears behind a terse face, she stalked up to the guard at the gate.

"Here to inspect the prisoners." She repeated the line from the previous night. The guard waved her through.

Her repeat performance did not work at the door.

"Your healing's not going to do much good now, is it? He's scheduled to be executed." The warden gave her a nasty look. Unfortunately for him, he had just filled a tin cup from the water barrel that stood at the entry's guard post. Katara flicked her hand, sending violent ripples through the water in the cup.

"Look," She put her hands on her hips and scowled up at him, even as his attention was on his now-settling cup, "Azula told me to make sure he doesn't die before she wants him to, so that's what I'm going to do. If you've got a problem with that you should take it up with her."

He dropped the cup back into the barrel and strolled forward to loom over her, "That's Fire Lord Azula, Miss."

Katara held her ground. It took maybe thirty seconds for the warden cave. Katara wasn't sure if it was because she had intimidated him or simply because he had realised that she would not be intimidated and had grown bored. He did not seem to be a particularly diligent specimen.

"He's still here… For now." He said. As he turned away, he threw another nasty sneer at her over his shoulder. Katara poked her tongue out at his retreating back and then all but ran down the corridor, deeper into the prison. She took the stairs two at a time, one flight then two then three. By the time she reached Zuko's cell on the highest level of the prison tower, she was huffing and sweating.

As always, the door squeaked as she opened it. Katara didn't care. She forced it open and then darted in side. She jammed it shut behind her and leant against it, trying to breathe deeply to still her wildly beating heart. She had made it. He was still here. Now if they could both just get out of here alive, if the others found Aang and got out of here on time, everything might be ok.

"What-?" He was sitting up, staring at her. His breakfast tray was untouched on the floor. Katara scowled at it.

"I'm getting you out of here."

"What!?" He rose, unfolding himself from the bed, "They'll know it was you. The Avatar, your Tribe…"

"Azula's ordered your execution at sundown. Zuko," She hesitated, not knowing how to say the next part but knowing for certain that if she did not tell him in this moment she may never be able to, and she owed him more than that, "I'm sorry, your father's dead."

His eyes widened. His mouth worked silently for a moment before he managed to frame a word, "How?"

"Azula killed him for disloyalty or something. And now she's ordered your death too. Look, it's a long story and we don't have much time."

He stared at her. "But you don't even have any water! How're you going to break me out-?"

"Oh shut up. I'm a master waterbender in the most humid nation in the world," Katara whirled. She flung out her right arm as her consciousness expanded. Water condensed in the wake of her hand and as she turned the full circle, it gathered about her fingers in five liquid claws, "You think I can't find water?"

He grunted. Katara smirked her victory.

She slashed her hand down, water flying from it and slicing a ringing cut in the locking mechanism of Zuko's cage. The water cut again with the return slash. Up and down, back and forth, the cell soon rang with the sound of the sharp edge on metal. Just in time, Katara heard running footsteps outside the door.

She spun. Her water flew at the door's lock and froze there. Not a second later, there was a scraping and a swearing as someone tried to fit a key into the lock and found it jammed. Katara grinned and spun again, gathering more water about her fingers.

It took two minutes and twenty seven slices to break the lock of Zuko's cell. Zuko did not stand still. He did pace around and around the confines of his cage. When she took a moment to catch her breath, Katara reflected that this was the most movement she had seen out of him in her three visits. It had to be the adrenaline.

As soon as the door sprang loose Zuko was scrambling out. Katara turned, ready to melt the last of the ice from the lock on the door and greet the soldiers who were now hammering on its other side. But before she could do anything, a hand fell on her shoulder and spun her around.

"Not that way. We'll never make it."

"Then how to you propose we get out?" She spat. Mutely, he pointed at the high barred window. At this distance, it looked far too small and the bars far too thick. There were six of them, and the space between them was so narrow it seemed barely more than slits. Katara scowled.

"I guess you want me to cut those?" She muttered.

"Unless you'd rather face the fifty odd guards outside." Zuko retorted from where he was already climbing the outside of the cage. Katara gauged the height of the window and sighed. She probably could reach it from the top of the cage and with Zuko looking as skinny as he did right now, they probably both could fit through. But then they'd be sitting on a window sill three floors off the ground.

No. The prison tower was built into the crater wall. Zuko's cell was deep inside it, but apparently not so deep as to have no windows at all.

Katara directed her water into her mouth so that she could use both hands to climb the cage. It wasn't hard. She used the little door as a rung and from there she was able to haul herself up to the top. IN moments, she was standing next to Zuko, staring at the window.

She spat and immediately began slicing her water back and forth across the bars, all six at once.

She spared Zuko a glance. He was staring at her, his nose wrinkled

"That's disgusting." He said.

"Do you want to escape this way or not?" She retorted, and continued bending. He mumbled something in response but she had already turned her attention and her energy to the task at hand.

It took ninety three strokes to break through the bars, top and bottom. But all six of them broke at once. No sooner had her water sliced through, than Katara dropped it. Zuko, who had been looking fretfully from the hammering at the door to her handiwork, wasted no time in racing for the window. He grabbed the sill and hauled himself up. It took him only a little wriggling before his shoulders were through and then he was gone.

Katara stared.

He poked his head back through the window and glared down at her, "Come on! What are you waiting for?"

She still stared. How was he doing that?

There was a thump and a whine. Turning, Katara saw the door behind her starting to glow red in the centre. As the glow increased, the metal began to bow, and several more thumps only helped it along. They were going to break the door!

She raced for the window and jumped, seizing the sill. Her feet scrabbled for purchase on the wall and she heaved with her arms, hauling herself up. She threw one arm out the gap, her hand slapping against the outer wall, and pulled harder, managing to get a knee high enough to rest on the sill.

Then she was up, kneeling hunched over in the window. She was three floors up in the air, right next to the crater wall.

Frantically she looked around for Zuko. There he was. Like a canyon crawler, he hung onto a rock with one hand. His feet had found foot holds at least a foot apart. He had his head turned at what had to be an awkward angle as he looked back at her, "Come on!"

"Zuko… I don't think…" They were half way up the crater wall. They were half way to freedom. But all Katara could see was the ground a long way below and the long drop she just knew was coming. Men were swarming down there now. They were forming ranks, the further one sanding and the closer kneeling. Archers! They had been seen.

"Take my hand!" Zuko called.

"What?" She yelled, her gaze whipping back to him. His free hand was stretched out to her, but it was too far away. She'd never reach him.

He rolled his eyes, "Now, Katara!"

She teetered a moment longer, then leant out, her centre of gravity hanging over nothing but air. And then he was gripping her hand and he was guiding her to a hand hold and she was scrabbling against the crater wall and she was out and she was climbing and they were free.

___________

___________

AN: I had so much fun writing this chapter I cannot even begin to explain. I hope you had as much fun reading it.