Sunrise

A Zutara version of the finale, which was epic even without Zutara.

AN: since the finale's so long, I'm starting at the part where Zuko and Azula battle. Plus, I think that part's the coolest. Zuko plays the hero and sacrifices everything for Katara. Fortunately, he was still alive when she got to him. tee hee, I loved that 'thank you' thing.

Disclaimer; Avatar does not belong to me.

The Battle
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Katara watched from the sidelines as Zuko and Azula took their stances. Zuko's was firm and strong, but Azula's was close and sloppy. There was no way she could beat him like that. But she could still do some damage. They glared at each other across the courtyard, and Azula pulled off the robes of the Fire Lord, and she smirked as she addressed her brother.

"I'm so sorry it has to end this way, brother," she mocked.

"No, you're not," Zuko growled back, seeing through the sarcasm.

Katara stood there, rooted as she watched them fight. At first, they were even, but then Zuko started winning, and Katara smiled. He was so strong, and so brave, and his words from before - And this way, no one else has to get hurt - along with his poignant look at her rang in her mind. There'd been something in his eyes then, something she couldn't name. But now, as she watched him fight his sister, knowing that some small part of this was to keep her from harm, she understood. What had been in Zuko's look earlier was love, and she felt it too. She hadn't realized it, but all the times in the last few days that they'd laughed, their shared journey to find the man who'd killed Katara's mother, the knowledge that Zuko's was still alive and how happy she'd been for him, and now, his willingness to keep Azula from hurting her, it all made since. She had seen him smile so many times lately, and only now did she notice how much she'd enjoyed seeing it.

Zuko smirked, and dropped onto his back, spinning and sending out an arc of flame. It hit Azula and sent her flying. She hit the ground hard, and skidded a few feet. She stood shakily, still in that insane-looking stance.

"No lightning today?" Zuko taunted. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

Azula snarled angrily. "Oh, I'll show you lightning!" she cried, sounding feral and dangerous.

She moved her arms around, generating electric sparks, her eyes locked on Zuko's form. She paused, last-moment, and Zuko barely had a second to register and act. A thousand thoughts filled Zuko's mind, the foremost being; Katara's in danger, I can't let Azula hurt her! And in the moment he ran between Katara and Azula's lightning, Zuko saw again, everything he'd been through with the waterbender lately. And he saw her laugh under the sun at his family's beach house, and he realized he loved her. There was no way he'd let Azula take her away.

"No!" he screamed, taking the lightning right in the center of his chest. Intense, blinding pain coursed through him, but Zuko didn't think about it. It was enough that Katara hadn't been hit. He heard distantly her voice calling his name, and then everything went black-ish.

Katara felt her breath stop. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Zuko couldn't die, he had to become the Fire Lord. He couldn't let Azula win just to save her.

"ZUKO!!" Katara cried, running toward his still form, twitching slightly as electricity coursed through and around him. She called water to her hands, ready to heal, but a strong blast of azure flames forced her back. She deflected it, and took a breath, only to see Zuko on his front, slowly trying to push himself up. But he couldn't do it, not in his condition.

Katara tried to run to him again, but Azula stopped her a second time, and Katara had to retreat away from Zuko's side.

Zuko groaned weakly, and shaking, lifted his head. He could see Katara struggling against his sister, and he longed to go to her, and help, to save Katara, but he was too weak. He could feel his heart beating slower and fainter each beat. He wasn't going to make it. This was it. He was going to die. He'd failed. Now Iroh would have to take the throne. I'm...so...sorry...Uncle... His thoughts faded away again, and he passed out for the second time.

Hot tears of anger coursed down Katara's face as she fought the insane Azula. Every now and again, she chanced a quick glance at Zuko. He wasn't doing so good. He was just laying there, still, not moving, but Katara could see his eyes - his face was turned toward her. His eyes were glassy, and filled with pain, but he managed a feeble smile, just before his body contracted, and he curled involuntarily around his wound, one last bit of electricity coursing over his side.

It was the reassuring smile that made Katara fight. She was angry now. It shouldn't end like this. They should be together. She knew now; she loved Zuko. And how dare Azula take him away. Katara fought harder, throwing her water at Azula without restraint. Finally, the final moment came. Katara and Azula were mere inches apart over a grate, beneath which there was water. Katara pulled the water up through the grate and encased herself and Azula in ice. Melting only the inside, Katara bound Azula's hands to the grate and dropped the water back to where it came from. She tightened the chain, then ran to Zuko's side, tears streaming down his face.

Zuko made a faint, choked groaning sound as Katara turned him over, and it was clear that the proud, strong firebender prince was dying.

"Hold on, Zuko," Katara whispered. "I'm going to heal you, now. You'll be okay, I promise. Just hang on, okay?"

Zuko felt his breath come shorter, and he didn't even have the strength to nod, so he forced his lips to twitch into something that at least resembled a comforting smile. He could feel his life slipping away, ending. This was it. He felt so horrible for putting Katara through the pain of loosing a friend, all because he'd been selfish enough to not want to loose anything. He could feel his heart stopping, and slowly, without his control, the pain fled away, and his eyes slid closed.

But just as the lids touched, Zuko felt a zap of electric pain, and his eyes flew open. Katara raised her head from where it had fallen over his chest when she thought she'd failed, and smiled broadly through her tears.

"Th-thank you Katara," Zuko croaked, still weak and in pain.

On hearing his voice, Katara's smile widened, and more tears fell. "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you," she whispered as she helped him sit up. Even with Katara's help, Zuko gasped, and clutched his chest in pain. Katara paused, and let him lean against her, holding him steady, until the tight grimace left his features, and he turned to her.

"Katara," he hissed, still hurting. Katara and Zuko locked eyes, shining gold on tearful blue. Before either knew what was happening, they were kissing, tender, and soft at first, then hard and passionate, until Zuko broke off with a muffled cry of pain. Katara pulled him to his feet, and let him lean on her for support. Together, they walked - well, Katara walked, Zuko, still weak from nearly dying, and in pain from the just-healed wound, limped beside her - to where Azula knelt, literally freaking out. She screamed blue fire, then cried and whimpered until she saw Zuko standing before her, and her eyes went wide.

"No!" she gasped, looking up at her brother. He looked awful; He was leaning heavily on Katara, pain evident in his eyes as he clutched his chest just above his wound. He was pale, and a fine layer of sweat stood out on his forehead. "You're dead!" Azula couldn't even begin to think of Katara's healing abilities, she was so shocked.

"Well Katara brought me back," Zuko growled. Azula looked from her brother to the waterbender, then lowered her head, expecting one or the other to end her life right then. But nothing happened. Instead, Azula looked up to see Zuko look at Katara. "We should find the others," he said simply. "Let them know we're alright. We can deal with Azula when this is all over." Katara nodded, and helped him walk away.

-

-

"There they are!"

"You're alive?!"

"Hail the new Fire Lord!"

"Zuko! Katara!"

"You did it!"

"You're okay!"

Katara and Zuko suddenly found themselves surrounded by their friends, and everyone was happy. Then someone's hand brushed over Zuko's wound and he cried out, dropping to his knees. Everyone crowded around, firing off questions and concerns. It all made Zuko dizzy and light headed from lack of breathing room. His head swam, and he groaned, swaying dangerously. Katara reached out and grabbed him, waving everyone back, answering them all with one sentence.

"Azula shot him with lightning," she said simply, waving away The Duke, who'd poked his head over Katara's shoulder to see Zuko's face.

"You have got to tell us what happened," Sokka demanded.

Katara's eyes took on a faraway gleam as she gazed out ahead of her. Then her vision shifted over to Zuko's face as he leaned against her for support, and love and gratitude filled her expression.

"Zuko took Azula's challenge to an agni-kai. He was winning, too. Azula had completely lost it. Zuko finally landed a good hit, and she shot lightning. Only, not at him, but me. I guess she knew Zuko could re-direct lightning, so she wanted him in a situation where he couldn't, and that was running between me and the lightning." Zuko's eyes had closed, and his breathing was deep and slow. The blood-loss, it seemed, was too much, and he'd finally given in to exhaustion. "He saved my life, by risking his. I don't think he even considered that I could heal him. He just acted."

Iroh shook his head, smiling, proud tears trailing down his face. "That's my Zuko," he sighed. "The boy never thinks anything through."

Everyone laughed, because this time, Zuko's not thinking anything through had saved both him and Katara.

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heh, and this is only chapter one. I'll get the next chapter out really soon. This is gonna be a really short story, though. But, review, please!