Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed that has been waiting for updates. Knowing people are still reading is like such a relief for me! whew ~

So here is Chapter 23...kind of a lengthy one but I like it. It is hard though...trying to capture the characters again after so long. But tell me how you like it as well!

Oh! Also I had a commission of Lizz done! PencilPaperPassion on deviantart is an amazing Avatar artist and you need to check her out! I put the commission as the cover picture for the story, but if you want to check out the full version or check out PencilPaperPassion then just follow the link on my profile :)

Chapter 23

The huff of the exhausted ostrich-horse was all Lizz and Zuko heard as they approached the abandoned ghost town. Zuko had been following Azula's machine up until a stream, where the machine had been abandoned. From there they had followed giant lizard footprints as well as long tuffs of white hair. Lizz knew that was Appa's fur.

The town was oddly quiet as Zuko hopped off of his mount, not bothering to help Lizz down this time. His mind was too focused on the building before him. His warm amber eyes flickered for any sign of movement among the splintered wood and cracked stone.

"I know they're here somewhere…" he murmured. Lizz didn't say a word. She knew trying to talk him out of going after Aang was pointless.

Suddenly a blast of blue fire was seen swirling above one of the buildings. "Azula…" Zuko suddenly exclaimed, his voice betraying a hind of an emotion Lizz couldn't quite pick up. Fear or anger? Probably both.

As another blast was both seen and heard, Zuko suddenly bolted towards the building.

"Zuko!" Lizz called, regretting yelling his name. No doubt Azula heard. Quickly tying the ostrich-horse to a nearby post, Lizz went after Zuko as fast as she could. Leaving behind her pack.

Lizz found Zuko just as he stepped in between Aang and Azula. Neither opponent could see her at her place behind Zuko in the alley. But it was when she saw Zuko glance back in Azula's direction that Lizz reached out and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him back just as a blast of blue fire ignited. Zuko let out a growl of frustration as they both fell to the dusty ground.

"I could have dealt with that!" he snapped, pushing Lizz aside. The blue fire before them shone orange as an air blast forced it back towards Azula. But the blaze split as a figure stepped through it, arms pushing the flames. It was then that Lizz saw Azula full on for the first time. The cold smirk that was painted on her face sent chills down Lizz's spine.

"I didn't know you were into Water Tribe girls, Zuzu," she purred, her cat-like eyes flickering to Lizz. Without an answer, Zuko shot a fire blast at his younger sister. Azula stepped to the side of the ally, bending a blue wall of fire that pushed Zuko's blast away from her and using that momentum to shoot her fire at both of them. Zuko moved to try to block the blast, but it was evident to Lizz that he wasn't going to be fast enough.

As Lizz started to feel the heat of Azula's fire, a cool wind blew from behind her and shot Azula and her fire right out of the ally. With a flip, she landed on her feet, narrowing her amber-colored eyes. Lizz looked behind her and saw Aang still in his bending stance.

"Lizz, are you okay?" the Avatar asked. Nodding Lizz got to her feet. "What are you doing here?" Aang added, glancing at Zuko as the firebender got to his feet as well. Lizz watched Zuko carefully, knowing he was still after Aang. Despite that Aang had just saved both of their lives.

"I ran into Zuko and…" She wasn't sure how else to go on. But she didn't need to. In a heartbeat, Zuko spun around and shot a fireball at Aang. Apparently the Avatar was watching Zuko as well because in no time at all Aang spun his staff in an air windmill, putting out his fire. Zuko let out a frustrated growl and started a barrage of fiery kicks and punches. Lizz slammed against the stone behind her to dodge the fire, calling out to Zuko as he pushed Aang farther down the alley. Out of the corner of her eye though, Lizz saw Azula's smirk coat her ruby-red lips.

Lizz's heart pounded in her chest and before Azula made her move, Lizz took off after Aang and Zuko. She had to make them realize who the real threat was. Even if it meant changing the Avatar timeline. If they realized they needed to focus on Azula than maybe things would change for the better.

Suddenly Lizz slowed her running for a moment, her blood freezing. Today is when Azula shot Iroh…

"No…" Lizz muttered, her heart rate speeding up. She had to make Aang and Zuko understand!

Suddenly a crash was heard behind Lizz. Looking up at one of the abandoned buildings, Lizz saw Azula break through one of the rotted roofs. The Fire Nation princess hopped over gaps with grace, right in the direction that fire was heard and seen. She had to get to Aang and Zuko first.

Breaking into a full run, Lizz slid through another alley. Then another. Soon she was able to hear fire crackle and wind howl. The patter of footsteps was heard above her. Glancing up, Lizz saw Azula running on a wooden beam almost directly above her. Smirking, Lizz balled her hand into a fist and shot a ball of fire further down the beam. The wood splintered and set ablaze in a matter of seconds. Lizz didn't stop to see Azula's reaction. She had a straight shot to Zuko.

Fire blazed out of Zuko's fist as Aang blocked it easily with his staff in a windmill motion. But it was when Zuko tried to shoot another blast that Lizz stepped between the two benders, slicing through Zuko's fire easily with a quick move of her hands.

"Stop it, you two!" Lizz exclaimed, glancing at both Aang and Zuko with a fiery blue glare, "Focus on-"

Lizz stopped as she was interrupted by a column of blue fire as it fell down towards her. Quickly falling into a bending stance, Lizz twirled her arms in a large arc and shot at the fire before her. Orange mixed with blue before the flames dissipated. Lizz was shocked it had actually worked to block Azula's attack. She had just acted, not even thinking. The move had come naturally.

Another shot of fire flew through the air, this time at Azula. The fire master easily wiped the flames away and shot a blast of her own at Zuko. That was when Lizz saw her own chance and blasted her own fire at her. Zuko clumsily blocked. Azula dodged.

Glancing up, Azula flipped up onto a porch roof and started to run towards Aang. She landed almost on top of the Avatar, swirling a blue fire kick at him. Aang was able to jump away just in time only to be bombarded by blue and orange flames from both firebenders, narrowly dodging them.

"Zuko! Stop!" Lizz yelled, her anger getting the better of her. She shot a blast at the scarred prince. Zuko blocked the blast easily. Lizz hadn't put much into the fire but the look on Zuko's face made her regret her actions immediately. His expression mirrored the one he had given her at the North Pole. His amber eyes shone with a 'you betrayed me…again' look. It made Lizz suddenly sick to her stomach. All else faded as Zuko ran off after Aang and Azula, leaving Lizz on her own.

It was that moment that Lizz realized there was no changing what was going to happen. From Zuko and Aang fighting, to Iroh's injury. Whatever Lizz did, the story was set in stone in this world. Fate was fate.

The sound of breaking wood pulled Lizz out of her thoughts. Her eyes focused just in time to see Zuko fly out of one of the buildings, Azula right behind him. As Zuko fell on the ground with a grunt, Azula continued her assault on Aang. Lizz was torn between helping Zuko and helping Aang.

Lizz's thoughts were answered as she saw Appa land on the other side of the building to her right. Lizz ran for the bison.

"Katara!" Lizz exclaimed as she saw the waterbender and her brother hop off of Appa onto the dusty ground. Both Water Tribe siblings looked up and their faces fell into surprise.

"Lizz? What are you doing here?" Katara asked, taking a few steps towards the firebender. Lizz shook her head.

"There's not time to explain. Aang is in a fight. We need to help him," Lizz said quickly. Sokka's eyes widened and whipped out his boomerang.

"It must be the scary one out of those girls from Omashu!" he exclaimed. But before he had even finished, Katara was already running towards the building that was going up in flames. "Katara wait!" Sokka called out, running after his sister. Lizz followed, but took a different path.

Breaking onto the main road Lizz suddenly locked eyes with Iroh, who had just walked into the town from the opposite direction. She broke into a small smile as the old man did as well. But before any words were spoken, the sound of fire was heard again and Azula was seen running after Katara as she burst from a building doorway. Iroh's face hardened.

"Where's Zuko?" he asked.

"Over there," Lizz answered quickly motioning towards Zuko. He was still on the ground, moaning slightly. Lizz guessed he had probably hit his head when he fell.

As Iroh kneeled next to him, Zuko opened his eyes. "Uncle..?"

"Get up," Iroh said, not wasting any time pulling the prince to his feet. Lizz didn't meet Zuko's gaze. His eyes had an effect of burning through her with a glare. Lizz hated it.

Lizz looked up just in time to see Azula scale a row of crates out of an alley and quickly shot a fire blast at the princess. As Azula dodged it she ran right smack into Iroh's stomach, throwing her off balance. As she got back to her feet Zuko, Iroh and Lizz slipped into firebending stances. With the help of Aang, Katara Sokka and the new arrival of Toph, they all cornered Azula. Lizz's eyes didn't leave the princess. She watched her closely. Lizz was determined to try her best to gauge when to stop Azula's attack on Iroh.

"Well," Azula smirked as she baked up towards the stone wall behind her, "Look at this. Enemies and traitors. All working together. I'm done." Azula's arms went up. Lizz didn't relax. "I know when I'm beaten. You've got me. A princess surrenders with honor." There was a moment of silence then. Lizz waited. She knew what was coming but she hesitated. A hesitation that she would regret for weeks to come.

Azula moved so fast that Lizz almost didn't catch it. But the blast of blue fire. The yell that erupted from Iroh. That was all Lizz needed.

Zuko's voice was heard. Blasts were shot. Lizz's ears were ringing as she flew to Iroh's side, not participating in revenge on Azula. Revenge that Lizz knew was in vain.

She had hesitated…

A blast shot from behind her and she braced herself. Shielding Iroh as best she could. When her eyes opened though, Zuko was at Iroh's side as well across from her. His brow filled with sweat. His hands were shaking.

Wait, no…those were her hands. Her hands were hovering and shaking. Blood soaked Iroh's chest. Hot blood that both Lizz and Zuko knew swelled from a heavily burned wound. But it was when Lizz looked at Iroh's face that she broke.

"Iroh…"

Her voice cracked. In the back of her mind she knew he was going to be okay but…was he really? What if by her being here actually changed fate enough that Iroh wouldn't make it..? Her mind was racing in a million different directions.

"Get away from us!" Zuko suddenly yelled. Lizz looked up as Zuko spun to her as well. "All of you!" he added at Lizz, as if it was her fault. Tears threatened to break. Iroh moaned.

"Zuko…I can help-" Katara broke in. But Zuko interrupted her. A blast of fire following his words.

"Leave!"

Lizz felt the heat of the fire come dangerously close to her face. Then a soft hand pulled her up to her feet and away from Zuko. But she couldn't take her eyes off of Iroh.

She had killed him. She just knew it…

So my friend who is reading this says that he totally ships Lizz and Haru. Which kind of surprised me...?

So the question for this chapter is who do YOU think that Lizz should be with in a romantic sense? It can be either someone she's met already or someone she might meet in the future!

And if you don't have anyone specific you think she would be good with, then what type of person would be a good fit for her?

Or do you think Lizz should forever be a bachelorette?

~Let me know your thoughts! ~