"This should be it," Mai confirmed, and Haru turned to look at her, sweat gleaming on his forehead in the light of one of the soldiers' fireballs.

"You sure?"

"No."

Haru looked up at the ceiling, breathing hard. They had dug beneath the caldera from their landing point on the other side of the volcano, not wanting to risk being seen between the palace and the harbour. "I think so too," Ty Lee whispered and a couple of the soldiers nodded their agreement.

With a determined nod, Haru began pulling earth from above them, lifting the infiltration team up on a platform. The soldiers hunkered down, weapons readied and Katara popped open the lid of her water flask on one hip, silently wondering whether the moon would be strong enough to bloodbend if needed.

But, when they emerged into the prison courtyard, there was no sign of life.

The moon shone brightly above them, and stars filled the sky, illuminating the darkened, silent courtyard. Two of the soldiers - it was difficult to tell who when they were in full armour - hurried ahead of the group to scout the main vestibule. Katara and the others remained clustered in the courtyard, listening.

"This isn't right," Hakoda muttered darkly. "Does the fire Nation always leave its prisons unguarded at night?"

"No," That sounded like Lieutenant Jee. "Never."

"It must be a trap," Another soldier hissed. "Prince Zuko- what should we do?"

Zuko was looking up at the sky in the vague direction of the palace with a frown. "It could be… Or my sister could have really lost her mind." He said thoughtfully. "Mai, Ty Lee?"

The girls looked to each other. "Before she imprisoned us, she banished a servant girl for filing her nails too short… But I'm not sure she'd have left a prison so… empty," Ty Lee said, slowly.

Zuko nodded. "Chief Hakoda, Lieutenant Jee, what do you think?"

The older men frowned. "It's too risky, especially after what happened last time," Hakoda said, eventually and Jee nodded.

"The princess may have set traps in the prison, and they could endanger the lives of the prisoners as well as our own. I advise against it, your Highness."

"No," Haru countered. "My father is in there. We have to try."

Zuko looked back to the prison with a frown. "We have to try," He repeated and sighed. "Yes. Will any soldiers here volunteer to continue with the rescue?" After a moment's hesitation, a few soldiers stepped forwards with a bow and Zuko smiled tightly. "Thank you for your bravery. Continue with the rescue plan. We will meet you at the palace. Good luck."

Jee bowed his agreement and stepped forward. "I'll join them too. Look after yourself, Prince Zuko."

He bowed low, and Zuko nodded, looking a little pale.

"Come on," Katara looked up at her dad, his face hard beneath the pale light of the moon. "We need to get going."

Without Haru, they had no choice but to make their way to the palace on foot. Zuko led them over rooftops and through back alleyways as they gradually made their way up. The streets were eerily quiet, and Katara exchanged a worried look with her father.

Ty Lee held up a hand, suddenly, and the small group stilled, crouching low to avoid detection. Footsteps echoed off the walls of the houses and Katara could see the faint glow of a lantern move down one of the alleyways in their direction. Katara crept to the edge of the roof, ignoring Hakoda's whispered protests and looked over the edge.

A young soldier was walking through the streets, looking pale and afraid. Wordlessly, Ty Lee dropped to the cobbled pavement behind him and with a quick succession of pokes, rendered him limp in her arms. She kept his mouth covered and Zuko dropped down in front of him.

When he saw Zuko, the soldier's eyes widened and he spluttered frantically into Ty Lee's hand. Zuko stepped close and glared down at him. "If you shout for help, it's over," He threatened. "Nod if you understand."

The young man nodded and Ty Lee slowly removed her hand, revealing the soldier's panicked face. "You're the traitor prince..." He breathed, and Zuko stiffened slightly.

"Where is everyone?"

The soldier clamped his mouth shut, looking terrified. Hakoda went to jump down but one of the other Fire Nation soldiers beat him to it, standing at Zuko's side. "Tell us what's going on. Has the Firelord left for the Earth Kingdom yet?"

The soldier gritted his teeth. "His Majesty, the Phoenix King is already gone. You don't stand a chance of defeating him. He is going to rain fire and fury on-"

"Good," Zuko said, coolly, and nodded to Ty Lee. She knocked the young soldier out and tied his hands together. "So the majority of the firebenders will be out of the city," He muttered darkly.

"Good for us," Hakoda tried to reassure him, but Zuko's frown simply deepened. "Come on, Zuko. We need to keep moving."

Something about the way Katara's dad seemed to have taken it upon himself to keep Zuko moving forward and the unwavering reassurance in the way he landed a heavy hand on Zuko's shoulder with a grim smile made Katara smile softly to herself. But they had to keep moving, and as they neared the palace, they could finally see where everyone was.

It was dark, but people were bustling around the palace grounds, laying out carpets and preparing lanterns. "What is she doing?" Ty Lee asked, watching in confusion.

Zuko's eyes were hard. "They're crowning her Firelord."

"But your father?" Katara asked, and Mai shook her head.

"That soldier before- he called Ozai the Phoenix King. I remember Azula talking about a new world order but to act so soon…"

"Firelord Ozai's arrogance knows no bounds," A soldier hissed and Katara blinked in surprise. Kei? She was alright. The female soldier was glaring out at the palace. "He's crowned himself king of the world before he's even won the war."

Zuko's hands tightened on air and his jaw clenched. The sun was beginning to rise and she could see the colour of fury in his cheeks. "Of course he has," He hissed. "And Azula's crowning herself Firelord prematurely."

"She'll be in the spa," Mai said dispassionately. "We could catch her by surprise…"

But she never finished her sentence. The Caldera shook with the great, thundering force of the explosion and they turned in horror to see the prison, halfway down the side of the volcano, was blazing and burning. "No!" Zuko hissed, and Hakoda held him in place as he jerked towards the prison- to do what, she wasn't sure, but his hands were on fire.

Thick, dark smoke billowed into the early morning sky and Katara's eyes travelled up to see it fade into the atmosphere, faint grey tendrils just barely touching...

"It's time," She breathed through tears. When did she start crying? "The Comet."

High in the sky, she could see the slow advance of what looked like a tiny, red star.

Zuko's fire flared and he turned to glare back at the palace. "Azula," He hissed. "She knew we'd go to the prison first…" He stood abruptly, not caring who saw him anymore and the sun seemed to set his crown ablaze. "Katara, Hakoda- You go back to the prison, help the others," He threw back over his shoulder. "The rest of us will go to the palace."

"What?" Katara hissed, lunging to catch his sleeve but he was glaring over her head. "We're meant to be doing this together-"

"Go," Mai said coolly, but not unkindly. She frowned back up at the palace from behind Zuko and Katara felt a sting in her chest. "It's best not to involve foreigners in this."

"Excuse me?" Hakoda asked, disbelievingly. "We've been involved since the start."

"That's not what I mean," Mai's eyes slid to Katara's. "If the people think Zuko's a puppet for the Avatar or another Nation, they will never accept him as Firelord."

That was what Mai had wanted to talk to Zuko about, that night she saw her leaving his tent. The realisation was something of a gut punch for Katara and she realised that, in a way, Mai was right. "But if you get hurt…" She addressed Zuko directly and he finally, finally looked at her. "I can fight Azula with you."

The expression on his face was not what she'd expected; the whole journey here, he'd been so focused and determined, but right now he looked lost. Adrift. He looked back over her shoulder at the still burning prison and swallowed hard. "You're the only one who can help them, though," He said softly and she glared at him. How dare he do this to her? Now?

This wasn't supposed to be where they separated. They were supposed to fight Azula together. They were supposed to be side by side for this and he was sending her away.

To make matters worse, he was right that if there were survivors at the prison, she was the only one who could help.

"Fine," She bit out, furious. "But I'm not saying goodbye and I am not staying away. I'll join you when I can."

She went to turn away but he caught her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry," He whispered against her ear, and she gripped his shoulders tightly. "I'll see you soon."

They held each other for half a heartbeat longer, before letting go and turning away at the same time. They had work to do.

But the gnawing unease in her gut wouldn't subside.

.

The prison was a horrific, blackened husk when they arrived; one side of the building had been blown completely apart, exposing the backs of cells and office rooms at least three floors up. Katara exchanged a solemn frown with her father as they approached, the silence deafening.

"What do you think happened?" Hakoda asked, voice rough. "Do you think…" He trailed off, and Katara put a soothing hand on his back. Bato and the other Water Tribe warriors had been imprisoned here, and in one fell swoop Azula may have killed them all.

"Let's look inside," Katara suggested, sounding steadier than she felt. "A blast like that couldn't have…" She swallowed. Logically, it couldn't have killed everyone inside, but she wouldn't put it past Azula to have crowded the invasion force in one place to make sure it killed all of them.

And the silence was unnerving. If there were survivors, wouldn't they be able to hear something? She steeled herself and they approached the ruined wall of the prison, picking through debris. She was both relieved and creeped out when they made it inside and couldn't see any evidence of injury.

"Look," Hakoda pointed to the remnants of wire, metal and wood that were scattered across the floor. "Not firebenders, they used a bomb."

Katara looked up at the hole in the ceiling, squinting through the sunlight. "I don't understand," She said softly. "Where is everyone?"

As if on cue, they heard the soft scrape of debris upstairs and exchanged a warning glance. Her dad readied his club and Katara cloaked her hands in water as they slowly made their way up the stone steps, each footstep seeming to scrape and echo off the walls. They reached the top of the stairs and Katara nearly fell to the floor.

There, in the middle of the hallway, in front of a mass of tangled, burned wire and shrapnel, Haru was dismantling a burned shelter of earth, revealing the missing Water Tribe Warriors, Swamp benders, Earth Kingdom fighters and Kyoshi Warriors. "Bato!" Her dad cried, rushing forward to wrap his best friend in a tight hug. "When we saw the explosion…"

"Easy," Bato groaned, and Hakoda pulled back, blood staining the front of his clothes. Alarmed, Katara stepped forwards just as Haru stumbled a little too. Initial relief gave way to determined focus and she began healing the wounded allies. Some were more severe than others, but none were life-threatening.

She got to work on Bato first, who had taken some blunt force wounds to his back and whose chest was bleeding with small chunks of metal embedded in him. He bore her ministrations well, only flinching when she pulled out a particularly serrated, dirt piece of debris.

"Thanks, Katara."

She nodded and moved onto the next most severely injured, the Mechanist.

"I saw the bomb," The Mechanist smiled weakly as Katara brought a ball of water to the open wound on the back of his head. "Luckily, Haru was quick enough to protect us all from certain death."

Haru smiled at the praise. Dirt and shrapnel clung to his hair and Katara could see that his shield from the bomb took a fair chunk of damage. "Azula nearly got us."

"Nearly," Hakoda grinned, clapping Bato on the back. "But one measly bomb isn't enough to crush us."

"No," Katara smiled at her father and Bato before giving the old man a pat on the back. "There you go. Were there any soldiers around?"

"None at all," Haru said, sounding nonplussed. "It's like this was just…" He paused, looking bemused.

Katara felt a cold pit in her stomach. "It wasn't set to kill us," She realised. Haru looked back at her with dawning comprehension. "It was to split us up."

"We're fine," Hakoda said. "You two go."

"But-"

"We'll keep the wounded safe here," Bato agreed. "You guys give Zuko some backup."

Katara lunged forward, hugging both Bato and her father tightly before rushing down the stairs, unsure and uncaring as to whether Haru was following.

The implications of the size of the bomb were worrying; had Azula been several steps ahead all along? Mai had suggested it only be Fire Nation citizens who proceeded to the palace… had that suggestion been planted by Azula?

The thought turned Katara's veins to ice.

Mai's feelings for Zuko had seemed genuine enough, but maybe Azula's hold over the girl was stronger. Katara felt a surge of rage and ran hard, not caring any longer if she was seen- there weren't enough people in the capital to stop her getting to the palace.

The city seemed to shake as she saw a bursting, ballooning, blue fireball sear the skyline. She faltered and slipped on the cobbled pathway, staring up in horror. The comet had started and Azula had struck.

.

"She'll be in the spa," Mai said dispassionately. "We could catch her by surprise…"

But she never finished her sentence. The Caldera shook with the great, thundering force of the explosion and they turned in horror to see the prison, halfway down the side of the volcano, was blazing and burning. "No!" Zuko hissed, his stomach twisting. Katara's father held him back as he jerked towards the prison- Zuko didn't even realise that his hands were on fire.

"It's time," Katara breathed through tears. "The Comet."

The sight of the tears on Katara's face brought Zuko back to the present; there wasn't time for him to lose focus. "Azula," He hissed, glaring back at the palace, the place he'd once called home. "She knew we'd go to the prison first… Katara, Hakoda- You go back to the prison, help the others," He threw back over his shoulder. "The rest of us will go to the palace."

"What?" Katara hissed, lunging to catch his sleeve. He didn't dare look at her. "We're meant to be doing this together-"

"Go," Mai said from behind him. "It's best not to involve foreigners in this."

"Excuse me?" Hakoda asked, disbelievingly, clearly insulted. "We've been involved since the start."

"That's not what I mean," Mai's responded, cold as ever. "If the people think Zuko's a puppet for the Avatar or another Nation, they will never accept him as Firelord."

"But if you get hurt…" Zuko dragged his eyes from the palace to look back at Katara. Katara, looking so achingly beautiful in the morning sun. Her eyes seemed to glare right into his core. "I can fight Azula with you."

He wanted nothing more than to have her with him, fighting at his side as he battled his sister, but their allies, her countrymen were at the prison, and they could be seriously hurt. If they were going to win this, they needed to have everyone possible behind them and Katara was the only one who could heal.

Also, Mai was right. It was the Avatar's destiny to take down his father, but the Fire Nation had to prove that lasting change could come from within. It wasn't just the Fire Nation that would be suspicious of a coup organised by outsiders, the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes would be forever distrustful of the Fire Nation's ability to govern fairly, unchecked.

He didn't want her to leave, but it wasn't just about him. He looked over to the smoking shell of the prison and swallowed. "You're the only one who can help them, though," He said softly and she glared at him. He didn't want her to look at him like that, but he stood his ground.

"Fine," She bit out, furious. "But I'm not saying goodbye and I am not staying away. I'll join you when I can."

She went to turn away but he caught her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry," He whispered against her ear, and to his relief, she held him back just as tightly. "I'll see you soon."

They held each other for half a heartbeat longer, before letting go and turning away at the same time. They had work to do.

"Come on," He ordered the soldiers, a little annoyed at himself that he had tears in his eyes. He would see her soon, he told himself. The grim nod from Mai told him he'd made the right decision, and a few of the soldiers gave him awkward smiles of reassurance.

But Jee came to Zuko's shoulder with a concerned frown. "Are you sure about this?" He asked Zuko softly. "Master Katara is probably one of the few benders who could give the princess a run for her money…"

"True," Zuko conceded. "But she's needed more there."

Jee didn't say anything further on the subject as they approached the palace gates. Zuko paid no heed to whether or not they were seen; this was his birthright and no guard was going to deny him entry.

Two younger men guarded the gates, but Zuko swept past them, letting Jee and a few of the other soldiers cut them down instead. The courtyard seemed to hush as he walked through; soldiers and fire sages alike parted to let him through. He walked to the base of the steps, atop which stood three fire sages preparing the coronation ritual.

They stared at him in surprise, and he held out a hand to still the soldiers behind him. He hoped it all looked as impressive as intended, but if not then that couldn't be helped.

"Where is my sister?" He said, as firmly as he could. His voice echoed across the courtyard and it sounded like his father's voice, mocking him. The sages exchanged worried looks, but no one moved. "You," He made eye contact with a nervous looking servant. "Find Azula and tell her that her brother has come to take the crown."

The servant paused, looking around as though for help but none came and so he fled into the palace.

The following few minutes seemed to last a lifetime, and no one in the courtyard dared move. Zuko resisted the urge to fidget or shift his weight from one leg to the other. He remained totally still, eyes scanning the courtyard with what he hoped was a dispassionate, confident air. He needed to look completely at ease here, in front of the palace staff and soldiers of the Royal Guard. How this exchange went would dictate how he was perceived for the rest of his life.

The rest of his rule.

The thought brought an all too familiar wave of nausea and he swallowed hard.

"Zu-Zu, what an honour it is that you came," Azula lauded, strolling through the doors of the palace. Zuko fought to keep his expression impassive at the sight of her; she was wearing fine armour but she looked… terrible, dishevelled, unbalanced.

He kind of hoped she'd fired the servant who had done that to her hair...

"Everyone, look! My brother's come to visit for the coronation, and he brought my dear friends. Mai, Ty Lee… it's so good to see you again. We should have a proper catch up after I'm crowned Firelord."

"Where is everyone, Azula?" Zuko challenged, and her eyes narrowed. "This isn't enough people for a real coronation. The city's practically empty- don't tell me everyone has left for Father's burning of the Earth Kingdom."

"How do you know about that?" Azula hissed, fingers twitching before she straightened, attempting to regain her usual aura of calm. "It doesn't matter. Father has left me the crown of Firelord, and the Fire Nation's control of the other nations is soon to be ironclad."

"The Avatar will defeat Firelord Ozai today," Zuko said with more surety than he felt. "And I will defeat you."

Azula laughed, maniacally, as though it was the funniest thing she'd heard in her whole life. The sound sent shivers down Zuko's spine and he heard the soldiers behind him shift slightly, probably preparing to draw weapons. He held out a hand again to stop them, his eyes fixed firmly on his sister.

What had happened to her? In just a couple of months, Azula had gone from a self-entitled, cocky prodigy to the ruined, wild-eyed girl in front of him now. "Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this," She grinned madly at him and he fought to resist the urge to take a step backwards. "Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be… Agni Kai!"

No room for hesitation, no room for second-guesses. "You're on."

This way, no one else needed to be hurt.

The fire sages protested, tried to dissuade Azula from her challenge, but the words had been said, and there was no going back. They made their way out of the palace, as Zuko had expected they would, towards a large training arena at the edge of the caldera.

Azula was being carried down to the grounds in a palanquin, as Zuko walked slightly behind, flanked by his guards on all sides.

"An Agni Kai with Azula?" Mai said quietly from his left. "Bold choice."

"I can take her," He responded, not sparing the younger girl a glance. He was sure he could take her. The comet's power was giving him more strength than he'd thought possible, and the fire itched beneath his skin, begging to be let out.

"I'm sure you can," Ty Lee said, trying to sound reassuring but he could hear the uncertainty in her voice. "Just be careful."

"Any last minute tips?" He asked as they arrived, but both girls remained silent. It was probably for the best, he thought. Of the three of them, he was probably the one with the most experience on the business end of Azula's bending practice.

Mai and Ty Lee helped him remove the outer layers of his robes, and he lifted his hand to remove the crown but Mai grabbed his wrist, frowning at him. "Leave it in," She instructed, and he nodded.

He turned to face the others, who were all watching him with very serious expressions.

"So this is it," Ty Lee said, sounding unsure. They didn't step over the threshold of the training grounds; It was forbidden for anyone to interfere with an Agni Kai and there wasn't much space for spectators at the outdoor courtyard. Getting too close would also mean risking their lives unnecessarily.

Zuko nodded, a little jerkily, and wrung his hands together. "If I don't… uh- if I can't... Tell Aang I did my best... And, if you see Katara, tell her I'm sorry."

Lieutenant Jee bowed low, followed quickly by the other soldiers. "Prince Zuko, may the many blessings of Agni shine on you," He said, sounding a little strangled.

Mai and Ty Lee simply nodded. "Good luck," Ty Lee said with a slight smile.

Luck.

Azula was born lucky and you?

You were lucky to be born.

Zuko tried not to laugh.

.

The fire wasn't coming from the palace, Katara realised as she tore through the streets with Haru hot on her heels. It was coming from somewhere else, somewhere unknown. The only thing keeping her focused, keeping her running was that each blast of blue flame was met with an equally ferocious blast of orange. It had to be Zuko.

The houses were more clustered here, to the east of the palace, and a few were on fire. It seemed a bit counter-intuitive, to have flammable homes so close to a… what? A training ground? A battlefield?

But then, she'd never seen any fire like this.

Blue and orange flames seemed to fill the sky, and the smell of smoke stung her nostrils, making it hard to locate the actual origin of the fires. She ducked as a torrent of flame seared over the street she was running down, and it set another row of buildings' roofs on fire.

"Katara?" She squinted through the smoke to see someone in Fire Nation armour waving to her. "Katara!"

"Kei?" Katara hurried forward. "What's happening?"

"Prince Zuko accepted an Agni Kai with the princess," Kei explained, leading Katara and Haru into a low, one storey building in which the other soldiers were sat, waiting. "They're fighting now."

"One on one?" Katara asked, aghast. "He can't be serious."

Beneath her helmet, Katara could see Kei's deep, disapproving frown. "We're here to help Prince Zuko because we believe in him, but I don't like this at all."

There were no windows in the building, which looked like some sort of preparation room with long benches and hooks on the wall. Paint flaked from the walls and little scorch marks interrupted the bull, repeating pattern of wooden boards.

Katara bit her lip, trying not to think about all the ways this could be another of Azula's traps. "Where are they?"

"Through there," Kei pointed at a heavy wooden door past Mai and Ty Lee. Katara moved without thinking, but she was blocked by two Fire Nation guards. She suddenly realised that here, in this room, she couldn't tell which guards were on Azula's side and which were on Zuko's. The armour was the same, the pale, tight faces beneath their helmets all seemed to match.

The air felt hot and thick. Suffocating.

"Let me through," Katara demanded, but Ty Lee was at her shoulder, pulling her back and looking worried.

"You can't go out there, Katara," She urged. "An Agni Kai is sacred- it's a matter of honour."

"Honour?" Katara repeated, dumbfounded. She could hear the roar of fire outside, making her head spin and Ty Lee was talking about honour.

"Careful," Mai warned from behind Ty Lee, her eyes darting around the room. Katara paused; Mai almost looked worried. She was paler than normal, and her mouth was set in a tight frown rather than the resting frown she normally wore. The oppressive claustrophobia swelled in Katara again, and she was overwhelmed by the need to be outside.

"Let me through," Katara demanded again of the two guards, finally recognising one of them as someone she had seen around the White Lotus campsite. "Please- I won't interfere…" Unless I need to. She added silently, but it seemed to do the trick.

The door opened.

Despite their previous aversion to opening the doors, suddenly Katara had the whole room of patiently waiting soldiers and sages at her back, craning to see how the Agni Kai was progressing. There were a few quiet gasps and whispered prayers from behind her, but Katara had lost the ability to say a word.

The fire blazed bright- huge bursts of rolling flames roaring from the hands of the two siblings in the stone courtyard. Azula's hair was dishevelled and she seemed to skate around the courtyard, trying to find a blind spot in her brother's defences.

Zuko was magnificent.

He was turning to diffuse Azula's attacks and sending his own back, but he didn't seem to be moving from his place in the centre of the courtyard. His body moved smoothly, now free of his heavier robes, he was in a simple tunic, trousers and boots but the crown glimmered brightly in his hair. If Azula was slipping, Zuko was the very picture of calm assurance.

If she'd never seen either of them fight before, it would have seemed like Zuko was the prodigy, and Azula the desperate, grappling novice.

A heavy blast of blue fire came a little close to the doorway and a few of the soldiers and sages cowered away. "Close the doors!" Someone hissed, and Katara slipped through as a soldier hurried to oblige. She turned to see Mai, mouth open in surprise just as the door closed and locked behind her.

This may not have been the best idea, she realised, as Zuko sent twin dragons spiralling towards Azula. She scooted around the side of the building towards one of the covered walkways, the dry heat stinging her eyes and forcing tears down her cheeks. She didn't dare call out, or move to make herself more visible, she just watched with bated breath, waiting for it to be over.

Zuko stopped punching fire at her and crouched low, kicking a torrent of flame outwards that sent the princess flying.

Azula's hair had fallen free of its crown at some point, and it whipped around her as she struggled to her feet. Katara could see the grim smile on his face as she struggled to her feet and her chest swelled with panicked pride. Zuko was winning a one-on-one fight with his prodigy sister.

"No lightning today? What's the matter?" He challenged as she glared up at him. "Afraid I'll redirect it?"

"Oh," Azula gasped breathlessly with a manic look in her eye. "I'll show you lightning!"

Zuko's back was now to Katara, but she could see the deep breath he took as Azula's arms circled to summon the nightmarish blue sparks. He bought one arm out and kept the other crooked. His stance was perfect.

And then Azula smiled, meeting Katara's eyes.

Katara's world shrank. Everything around her faded to darkness except for Azula's smiling face looking right at her. In her peripheral vision, through the darkness, she saw Zuko turn, confused. His stance dropped and he scrambled, throwing himself across as Azula let the lightning go. "No!"

A bolt of lightning split the sky, and Zuko fell to the floor.

"Zuko!" Katara gasped for air. It felt like she was drowning.

Zuko had just- slumped. His back was to her now, and Azula was still smiling. She ran forwards but a flash of blue crashed between them. Katara threw her hands up to defend herself, but it didn't seem like Azula was actively aiming for her. Just stopping her from getting near Zuko, who was twitching horribly on the floor.

Azula was laughing again.

It felt like the whole arena was on fire, and Katara tried again to get to Zuko but a barrage of lightning forced her to swerve to one side. Desperately, Katara's eyes couldn't seem to move from Zuko, even to see where Azula was aiming. It was difficult to tell if he was alive or not and the thought he could be dead…

Katara's heart seized as Zuko's arms moved, trying to stand. His crown was still, impossibly, in place but it just reflected the fire around him cruelly. Zuko fell to the floor again with a faint, guttural groan.

Katara tried to get to him again but blue fire blocked her path, followed by more lightning. Zuko struggled again to lift himself but she could see he was pale and sweating, and he fell again to the floor.

Focus.

Katara turned to glare at Azula, who jumped to land on a nearby rooftop, clearly anticipating an attack. She swung her arms around to summon more lightning. "I'd really rather out family physician look after little Zu-Zu if you don't mind."

Katara felt powerful vengeance surge through her, and she twisted her hands to deflect Azula's bending. Azula's lefty hand whipped to the side and Azula grinned at her with mad joy, as though it were the best thing in the world.

"I knew you could do that," she hissed. "I knew it!"

"Want to see what else I can do?" Katara called back, moving away from Zuko. She was trying to distract Azula from her brother and it seemed to work; Azula stared after her and when she managed to regain control of her arm, she sent a quick blast of blue flame right at Katara.

Katara hid behind a column, heart pounding hard. She was fairly sure that this was against the rules of the 'sacred' Agni Kai but if Azula hadn't aimed for her, Zuko would have won. She was sure of it.

Tamping down the churning guilt, Katara pulled water from her flask and sent it up at the roof, but when she looked to see if her hit had landed, Azula was behind her, using fire to rush along the corridor and Katara darted away.

Azula pursued her relentlessly, but as long as it kept her attentions off Zuko, Katara was happy to play the part of the bait. Zuko was worryingly still now, but Katara couldn't spare him any of her attention; Azula was gaining.

Katara froze water beneath her feet for speed, but Azula melted it with ease and Katara tried to hold her in place with bloodbending but the sun was too bright, the moon was too far through its cycle, and the comet was too strong. Azula barely slowed down.

"I thought you were stronger than this," Azula taunted, giggling. Her hair flew about her face, uneven and choppy. Katara had never seen anyone look as deranged as Azula did in that moment. The arena was properly on fire now, and the awful smell of burned hair filled Katara's nostrils. She wasn't sure if it was her own, or Azula's. She supposed it didn't matter much anymore.

Running between columns, trying to evade Azula's madness, Katara was sent sprawling as her toe caught in something and her breath caught in her throat as she saw what had tripped her.

The arena had open water gutters, covered only by metal grates. She could use this.

She spotted some chains nearby and grabbed them, trying to keep out of Azula's direct line of sight until she was ready. Hold on, Zuko. She silently willed him. Just a little longer.

She could hear Azula's slow footsteps approach. Azula's total self-confidence would have been admirable if she wasn't literally insane. Katara held her breath.

"There you are, filthy peasant!" She crowed, and Katara launched at her with a series of water whips, forcing her towards the grates. "Not going to use your little trick on me again?" Azula snarled. "Come on, I dare you."

"I don't need it to defeat you," Katara responded, her voice low and determined. Azula brought her arms in that all-too-familiar circle, summoning lightning. This close, there would be no escape from it.

Katara didn't need to escape.

With a great surge, she brought the water from the drains to surround herself and Azula, freezing them both in place. Azula's wide, horrified eyes stared back at her, and Katara realised with a start that the princess's fingers were pointed right at her nose. A half-second later and she would have been fried.

Forcing her own heartbeat to slow, Katara breathed out deeply, melting the ice around her and moving slowly to bring the chains around Azula's wrists, securing her to the drainage grates so that she wouldn't be able to bend. Once in place, she let the ice melt and come crashing down, back into the drains.

With a final tug to secure the chains, she finally put Azula from her mind and let her feet carry her to Zuko's side.

He was lying face down on the stone slabs, and she tried gently to turn him onto his back. He let out a shuddering sigh and her eyebrows furrowed. "Don't you dare," She scolded, desolation giving way to furious determination. "Don't you dare die on me, now."

The front of his shirt was mostly burned away, and she held clean water over the bloody, crusted scorch mark in the centre of his chest, forcing the water deeper, knitting him back together. If only she'd stayed away, if only he had attacked Azula when she left herself open in favour of targeting Katara.

She was so, so angry. She could hear faint murmuring in the background but she couldn't think about anything else right now except for the stupid boy in front of her.

After what felt like an age, his furrowed brow smoothed and he smiled faintly. "Thank you, Katara," He breathed and she couldn't help the relieved smile as she realised his eyes were open and clear.

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you," Katara managed. Zuko tried to get up but he winced in pain.

She wordlessly took his arm and gently helped him to his feet. His smile faded as he watched his sister, chained to the floor and hyperventilating in pure, desperate fury. She was writhing, twisting her body on the floor and struggling against the chains as she screamed and breathed blue fire.

As Zuko and Katara watched in solemn silence, the girl in front of them began to cry.

Katara tightened her grip on Zuko, unable to watch the princess any longer. The air had chilled considerably now that the Agni Kai was over, and she could feel the tremors running through his body.

At some point, the doors to the low building the soldiers had been waiting in with the others had been opened and the Fire Sages were stood at the edge of the courtyard. Katara wasn't sure how much they'd seen, whether they knew Azula had broken the rules first, or whether they thought she'd interfered to secure the throne for Zuko unprompted. She looked to Mai or Ty Lee for a hint, but they weren't looking at her or Zuko.

Mai and Ty Lee were staring at Azula, seemingly entranced, but Jee and a few of the soldiers hurried to their prince as soon as they saw them. "Is he alright?" Jee demanded, face taut and pale.

"He needs to rest," Katara explained, glaring at the soldier who moved to take Zuko's arm from her so that he kept his distance. "Where can he rest?"

"The palace," Jee said clearly, catching the attention of the Fire Sages who were hovering at the doorway, uncertainly. "The Firelord will recuperate at the palace."

Once inside the palanquin - Azula's palanquin - Zuko swallowed hard and let his head fall back, exhausted. "Katara?" Zuko's voice was soft. "Do you think the others are alright?"

"I don't know. I hope so," Katara said quietly, holding onto his hand. The Fire Sages and soldiers were all just… waiting. Waiting to see if the Phoenix King would return.

Katara swallowed hard. If everything had gone to plan (and really, when did that happen?) Aang should be arriving with the others soon. If Zuko's father had won, then he would likely be the one returning, to exact revenge on his son.

They had done their best, but they had no idea yet if it was over or not.

.

The other allies had also been brought up to the palace, and Zuko had instructed the palace healers to get to work on the allies and nationalists alike. After a few dubious looks, the healers had agreed and it seemed like the patients were all tolerating each other well enough. Katara had heard her father and Jee chatting away with another lieutenant. It was… odd. This period of uncertainty. No one wanted to break the peace with open hostility, but they were tense, lest the Phoenix King return and declare Zuko a traitor.

"I just received word from the servants. Someone's outside," Kei muttered darkly, tightening her grip on her sword. Katara looked to Zuko in alarm, and he closed his eyes, releasing a long, deliberate breath before standing and turning to face the large double doors at the end of the atrium. He had been dressed once again in formal robes, but these were finer than the ones he'd brought with him. Katara had a very strong suspicion that they were his father's, but she didn't say anything.

Zuko began to walk to the door. Jee jerked forwards, one arm out, but froze just shy of touching Zuko's arm. "Your Highness," He said deferentially. "We don't know who it is…"

"It doesn't matter who it is," Zuko said, and the whole room seemed to hold its breath. "Whether it's Avatar Aang or my father, I'm going to meet them."

Jee bowed, low to the floor. There was a clatter around the room as everyone else followed suit, even the soldiers who had not defected from Ozai's army. Zuko seemed to pale and looked back to Katara, who gave him a small smile and bob of her head. She moved to stand a pace or two behind him and he rewarded her with a small, nervous smile. Together, they approached the door.

Zuko nodded to the soldier closest to the door, and the older man visibly paled, going to the door and slowly pushing it outward to reveal what was possibly the best sight Katara or Zuko had ever seen in their entire lives.

Aang, Sokka, Suki and Toph were stood at the top of the stairs. Momo skipped cheerily from Aang's shoulder to run across Katara's and land on Zuko's head, chewing eagerly on the gold crown. Zuko didn't seem to notice. He was smiling widely at Aang.

"You're okay," He said, sounding rather breathless and a bit teary. "You guys are all okay."

He lurched forwards and wrapped his arms tightly around Aang and Toph, who were the closest to him. Katara likewise launched herself at Sokka and Suki, to Sokka's pained protests. "Ow! Watch my leg…"

"Sokka?" Katara heard rapid footsteps and Hakoda was suddenly there, hugging them all as well. "I am so proud of you kids."

And it seemed, all of a sudden, as if the whole Water Tribe was around them, jostling for hugs and relieved greetings. Katara had to press herself through the crowd to get to Aang, Toph and Zuko, weaving her way through bodies that practically lifted her off her feet as she did so.

She reached open air and grinned at Aang and Toph, throwing her arms around them and nearly knocking them right over. "Hey! Easy, Sugar Queen!" Toph complained, but gripped her back tightly.

Katara pulled back and turned to smile at Zuko, but the smile had disappeared from his face and he was looking past Aang, to where Appa had landed with a lumpy, wrapped package on his saddle. She moved to take his hand and he swallowed hard. "Is that…"

Aang moved to stand at Zuko's other side. "Yeah. I didn't want to just… leave him behind."

The younger boy's face was solemn, and he looked like he was ready to burst into tears himself. By comparison, Zuko's jaw was tight and his eyes angry. She wasn't sure at who, or what, but his fingers tightened around hers and a muscle in his neck jumped.

"It was super creepy, travelling with him in the saddle, by the way," Sokka groused and Katara turned to glare at his insensitivity. "Go ahead, Zuko. See him for yourself."

But Zuko simply stared out at the bundled body of his father in silence before turning and walking back into the palace.

"Burn it." He instructed the gathered soldiers, who bowed and rushed to obey. The Fire Sages bowed deeply, murmuring blessings and beatitudes as he passed them.

This was how their adventure ended. Not with a celebration, but with a loss. She thought she understood why, as he turned to look back at them all with a small, grim smile. It was, again, about sending a message- that Ozai had no hold over him any longer, even though it wasn't true.

"Send word," He instructed the gathered soldiers and sages. "Fire Nation Troops are to stand down immediately and return to their homes. Firelord Ozai is dead and the war is over."

.

The sun was shining. It seemed strange to Katara that it had been less than a year since she left the South Pole. So much had happened. She fiddled nervously with the edges of her sleeves at the thought of her home- it felt further than ever.

She leaned her head against Zuko's shoulder, watching two turtleducks swim idly in a decorative pool. The coronation was over, and Zuko had performed admirably. He had announced the end of the war formally to a cheering, euphoric crowd of people from all the nations, and the celebrations so far had been untainted by rumour or dissent.

Long may it last.

Now that things had settled down somewhat, Zuko had wanted to show her the gardens. This spot seemed especially peaceful, beneath the shade of the veranda, looking out at carefully manicured flower bushes, water features and winding, narrow pathways. The high walls of the garden muted any noise from outside, and it felt like time passed more slowly here. Despite the worries in the back of her mind (particularly about how he was handling the death of his father and imprisonment of his sister), she sighed in contentment.

"Your father and the Water Tribe warriors leave for the South Pole in a week," Zuko said softly, and Katara hummed her acknowledgement. She had known her father would return home soon- he had been away for too long and could only stay for the initial reparations negotiations before returning to the Tribe and reuniting the men with their families.

Sokka would probably go too.

"Do you want to go with them?"

She lifted her head and looked up at him with a frown. "...To the South Pole?"

"Or, if you wanted, you could go with Aang. You could travel the world a little more, help people out there."

"Zuko," She said, very firmly. "Are you telling me to leave the Fire Nation?"

"No," He said, blinking down at her in what looked like panic. "It's just-" He huffed and looked back out to the garden. "I asked you to stay with me, but that was selfish. If you want to stay, then of course you can… uh- what I mean is... I'm not going anywhere. If you want to travel… or go back to the South Pole, I'll still be here."

Katara frowned at him, unimpressed. "Because you can't leave?"

"I'm not good at this," Zuko muttered and Katara fought a smile at the pink on his cheeks. He huffed as though annoyed, and glared at her. "Things are going to be hard for a while in the Fire Nation. If you want to take a break and help people, then you should. I'll be here, waiting. You can come back whenever you want."

The irritated look on his face should probably have put her off the suggestion, but she beamed up at him and pulled him down for a kiss.

She understood. He didn't want her to feel trapped. Katara had a need to be actively helping people. She probably would travel the world a little more- either with Aang or possibly alone. Maybe she'd help rebuild the South Pole, or maybe she'd travel the Earth Kingdom, or maybe she'd revisit the North Pole and learn more about healing…

The future was a great adventure, but she would always have something important to come back for.

The end.

.

So that's the final chapter of this story! A few things don't get wrapped up because I'm keeping hold of them for the sequel, which I have outlined and will probably start releasing in a month or so. I hope this final chapter (which is super long, wow!) is a satisfying end for everyone.

I don't like how (canonically) Katara finishes the war and then seems to just follow what the others want her to do, so I want her to have her independence- especially since the Fire Nation will be super difficult for a while and external interference in their line of succession probably won't go down super well...

Thank you to everyone who has supported this story so far. You've kept me going and inspired me to continue!

I have so many ideas for other stories in this AU so I may also do a couple of odd one-shots for scenes and stories that don't fit the overall longer-form fics. I've fallen in love with it, what can I say?

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