So this was it.
Only two of them left standing.
After all that.
Only the two.
Ragged, broken, no shoes, no shirt, no friends.
They can't look at each other, not yet, they've already done that.
So instead they stand, back to back, leaning on each other.
"They can't all be dead." She says.
"But they probably are." He replies, always the optimist.
"But there's a chance." She tries. "If we survived…"
"Both sides suffered heavy casualties." He's a realist, not big on hope. He wants to be though.
"But we're alive." She may or may not be crying now. He can't tell, he can't see her.
He feels her arm against his and without thinking reaches for her hand. He can still feel the power of her bending in it,
On his hand,
On his chest.
He'd probably be dead without her. He'd probably be a lot of things without her.
She holds his hand back. He can't help but think what if it is just the two of them. Only two benders to repair a ravaged world, to carry on the work of him, the Avatar. Only a boy and already a better man than he.
"We'll find them." He promises. "Dead or alive we'll find them."
"You always managed to find us." He hears hope in her voice.
"And I never give up without a fight."
Their hands grip tighter and finally,
Finally,
They turn to face each other.
He uses his free hand to push burnt curls from her face. In the distance he is suddenly aware of his sister's screams. It reminds him of another scream, the scream that lead him to take lightening full on the chest.
"Thank you Katara." He says quietly.
"I think it's me who should be thanking you." She whispers back, her free hand lightly resting over his second Agni-Kai scar.
He rests his forehead against hers and breathing,
It's not so easy anymore.
And he knows it's not just because he's wounded.
And he doesn't
Know what
To
Do.
So does what he knows.
He furrows his brow and turns to face the fading comet. She keeps his hand in hers.
"We've got a family to find." He's not just a banished prince anymore.
And something shifts between them.