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The Last Five Minutes	By : lightstep Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 16368 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: TLA. All rights reserved to Nickelodeon and respectful owners and creators. I do not make any profit from any content within this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Author's Note:
The first chapter kinda poured out of my head before I really knew what I was going to write or where it was going. I wrote the first one with my head telling me what to say faster than my hands could type it. I've taken the time to edit a little bit of chapter 1.
If you have read chapter 1 already, please take a moment to go back and read the addition at the end. I know it would be easier if I just started with this one as 1 and the other as the proper chapter, but I personally like how I had it going and it's staying that way.
In all honesty, I haven't ever written a story that's taken over my thoughts. Bear with me if the updates become fast and then suddenly slow or stop at inopportune moments.
If there's a correction that needs to be done, please don't hesitate to let me know. I was about to post this up with some major faults in the story so I've had to re read what I've typed and I've corrected so much that I am not sure I even know what's going on. Hopefully I was able to get everything.
I do not own anything in this story and I don't make profit from it.
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A full five years had passed since Sozin's Comet and Ozai's defeat. Aang was proud of himself. He had restored peace to the world. Though there were still groups here and there that supported Ozai and his fore-fathers' visions of the Fire Nation ruling the world. They were being taken care of slowly but surely. Not necessarily were these groups killed. In some instances, Aang had to disappoint himself by doing so in his own defense as they attacked him without mercy. He thought back that Giatso would have looked at him with shame. But it made the world a better place that some of these people were gone. So Aang decided that he was in no wrong. "Let's go, buddy!" He urged Appa on in their flight and his orange and yellow robes fluttered relentlessly in the rushing winds. Momo clung to Aang's shoulder and neck as his chirping and purring at the excitement.
Zuko had declaired the war over four weeks after the Comet, and Ozai had been improsoned. Zuko was crowned the new Fire Lord and negociated peaceful terms with the other countries. He'd jumped through hoops to proove that he was nothing like his sire. Below him, Aang saw a stretching line of people roaming the country side heading for the great city of Ba Sing Se. The fifth year mark was past and there was a party declaired. The leaders of all the nations had agreed to throw a party in the surrounding mountains of the city, as it was expected that a vast amount of people were to show up. Many people around the world were there when Zuko had been crowned, when he'd declaired the war over, Aang to be his friend, and Aang had let Katara know that he'd wanted to spend his life with her. As much as she loved him, she requested time to think about it. Aang was going to be busy anyway.
People cheered as he flew above them on Appa. Earth and Water benders walked by the people of the Fire Nation in the same direction without dispute. "They're all of one people, guys." His grey eyes shown happyness and he almost teared. Appa let out a mighty roar in agreement and batted his tail at the air, jolting them foreword again. Soon the hillsides gave way to the mountains that encased the great city. They could now see a large area that multitudes of earth benders had flattened out for this occasion. "Wow! They're going all out!" Aang watched from above as the large stretch was decorated with fabrics, ribbons and bon fires. A large stage had been set up in the middle. Obviously for a play that had been written in a hurry to show the war and then the victory of the Avatar. Much like the play Aang and the others had abused their minds with back on Ember Island, but a happier ending. He began his decent in a more or less vacated area where there were workers seeing to put up a shelter for Appa and other animals used for transport.
Appa immediately landed by a cart filled with hay, fruit and berries. Before Aang could dismount, the large beast began to happily enjoy the cart. Momo joined him by partaking of the berries he could before Appa's large mouth engorged everything. "No! My cabbages!" A man wailed. Aang turned in his direction as an Ostrich-Horse had been startled by Appa's sudden appearance and crashed into the cart the man had, scattering and crushing a large amount of the produce the poor man had. Hopping off Appa, Aang headed in the direction of the man and the ostrich-horse owner. Profuse appologies poured from the man as he tried to satiate the cabbage owner. They stopped when Aang approached and bowed to him. "Avatar Aang! It's an honor." Aang smiled and began to help them pick up the cabbages that were scattered.
When the task was done, he turned to indicate Appa and who to talk to for housing his friend. He staggered and yelled out in surprise when the ground beneath him suddenly rose in defiance and then disappeared from his feet as it fell back down, leaving him to continue to rise. He hadn't thought he'd needed his staff glider, but now he wished he'd brought it with him as he rose higher into the air. Using his hands, he summoned air bursts to slow his decent and he lightly touched the ground. Feeling it rumble beneath him again, he rolled and dodged, running where there weren't many people. He was being attacked?! Here?! "Good job, Twinkletoes. It seems you haven't lost your touch." The attacks stopped entirely as Toph approached him.
"Toph. I should have know it was you." Aang approached her, his arms spread for a hug. She was quicker than he though and punched his arm with that grin of hers. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm gingerly. "Good to see you too." They joined sides and she showed him around the site. At least as best as she could.
"It's not hard to tell where everything is." She explained. "We saved the trees and used earth bending to make the stands for where the food will be. I have been trying to help these numbskulls with metal bending so I didn't have to do everything." She shrugged. "It's like they don't know what I'm saying. Like I'm speaking another language to them or something. So for now, I'm the only one that's helping the cooks make things for the food they're preparing. Like pots and stuff." Aang ooh'd and aah'd at the sites and colors he was seeing. They approached the pavilion in the middle.
A great round stage had been risen from the ground. It's edges were stairs that had been bended into it. Several maidens were perched on earthen poles attaching ribbons of red, orange, blue and green to the tops. Aang nodded approvingly and they walked up the stairs to the middle of the stage. Toph smiled. "We have visitors."
Three people slamed into Aang's body as Toph backed away. "Aang! It's so good to see you!" Suki cried out from behind him. Sokka stood to her left and Katara to his opposite as the three bear-hugged the Avatar. "You have no idea how much we missed you this past month!" Sokka exclaimed. In fake acting, Aang held his hand out of the truffle and gasped for air.
"Toph! He.. help...!" He made fake choking sounds as the hugs grew tighter and he forced himself to the ground. The four people laughed as they landed on the ground. He turned his head to the woman on his left. "Katara.." He brought his hand up to her smiling face. Her blue eyes bright under the sun, her tanned skin shining with sweat. They all stood and embraced individually. Ty Lee joined Toph off to the side and crossed her arms, smiling.
It was hard to believe that they'd all been enemies at one point in time as they were so close now. All the Kyoshi warriors were there, though not dressed in their warrior attire. Hakoda and Bato walked onto the pavilion and greeted the Avatar with a nodding of the head, a wave and a smile. "So where's Zuko?" Aang questioned the group as all of them joined together. "And Buumi?"
Everyone exchanged glances and shrugged. No one had seen them at all during all this preperation. "So far," Hakoda began to explain. "It has taken about a week to get what you see here as it is and it was about three weeks ago that this party was announced. People from all over have been coming in day in and day out to work on this project. It seems that they're all just happy that they can live in peace now and that it's lasted as long as it has." He set his large hand on Aang's smaller shoulder. "It's you they have come to celebrate. And it's your accomplishment that they honor." Aang smiled up at the larger water tribe man.
"What can I do to help?" Aang asked eagerly. He didn't want to sit back and make everyone else do all the work. The ground separated to their own tasks as Hakoda instructed him on some things. The people all around them bowed gracefully to Aang as they passed by and they seemed to have renewed energy because of his presence.
Night soon fell and tents were pitched all over. Laughter filled the air as people shared stories and danced around the ever burning bon fires. The party was to be held the following day and night. It was then, that Aang had decided on making his announcement to the world. Why not? They were all going to be together there. His friends were present, and the people really wanted balance. He walked back to the stables where Appa snored loudly. Smiling, Aang took his place on one of Aapa's large legs and curled up to sleep.
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With the blazing sun hovering over the congregation, the bon fires were allowed to die out in the day. They would be lit up again when dusk hit. People partied and toiled. They laughed with the play that was going on at the center. Earth benders played the role of effects and backdrops as they bent the earth to their will. People jeered at the site of the ending scenes when the Avatar defeated Ozai. They laughed at the performers after them, people trying to balance on balls and the like. Even the circus had come to this and performed. The stage grew larger and more stable for the animals to parade across. The accrobats doing what they could without their tight ropes and other accomidations they were used to. Soon after, singers were allowed on stage.
"Amazing, isn't it? How far we've come.." Zuko's scrachy voice startled Aang. Buumi stood next to Zuko. They had just arrived. Zuko had been with Buumi this whole time, making negotiations to allow the colonies of the Fire Nation to stay in the Earthen territories. Buumi was hesitant, but concented to the new Fire Lord's wishes. It was, afterall, a new beginning. SOMEONE had to trust the Fire Nation again. Might as well be Buumi.
"Zuko!" Aang bowed graciously to the new Fire Lord. Zuko had on a light robe. Soft reds blended into orange and yellow billowing up the bottom hem of the material to eventually become white at his shoulder line and neck. Hemmed with a golden trim, the contrast of colors blending into the whites was a spectacle. His whiter skin was complimented by these colors. Zuko turned to Aang and bowed deeper than the Avatar had to him. After a moment, they laughed and exchanged embraces. "Buumi. How are you?" Aang turned his attention to the elder man. Buumi smiled largely. Though the robes he wore made him look like a fragile old man, he was anything but fragile.
"Time has not been kind to my bones. But I am not ready to give up my fight just yet." His laughter rang in the air. Aang joined his laughter, then his hand traveled up to his bald head and rubbed it. The sun began to dip into the sky. The afternoon was slowly becoming dusk and Aang's stomach churned. How would these people react to his proposal? He hoped they would accept his decision. Buumi noticed the uncomfortable look in the Avatar's face. "And apparently time is waning in your head. You are deep in thought." Buumi mused and Zuko looked down at his friend.
Aang smiled widely. "I'll be fine!" He waved off the comment. The Fire Lord and Buumi exchanged glances. Something was up. "I'm hungry!" Aang stated as his stomach grumbled insistantly and loudly. Zuko reached out to lift and inspect a wooden bead necklace adorning Aang's neck. It was new. But at the same time so very old. Aang's hand closed over the medallion at the end of the bead. "It was Giatso's. I returned to the Air Temples after I defeated Ozai and gave him the proper burial he deserved. No matter how I tried though, I couldn't just bury this. So I'm keeping it." Zuko nodded.
The stage cleared as Aang stood in silence. The Fire Lord began to advance to the steps slowly. The crowds hushed as he approached the middle of the stage. A nearby earth bender rose him up a little higher. Obviously he wanted to speak. The higher altitude would carry his voice further. He was silent a moment, thinking. The sun continued to dip into the mountains behind Ba Sing Se and Zuko opened his eyes to look out to the people that were gathering around the stage. "My sire was in the wrong to try what he was going to do. I am glad that it was put to an end. People of the Water Tribes to the north and south, the mighty Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nations are now living peacefully amoungst eachother. Peace and balance has been restored as much as it could be.
But as much as we want it to be balanced, there is no longer a balance. The last Air Nomad lives amoung us, but for how long? How long will it take time to defeat even the great Avatar? We must keep their name sake and their legacy within our hearts." He paused. People murmered all around the audience in agreement. "I cannot undo what my fore-fathers have done. But I can offer my assistance to the Avatar-no, to Aang-to restore the Air Temples to what they were before they were assaulted and destroyed at the hands of my ancestors." He turned to Aang. The Avatar was stunned. Did Zuko read his mind?
Aang slowly walked up the stairs to meet Zuko as the platform he'd been raised on began to lower. "Zuko, thank you." His large grey eyes looked out to the people. He watched as Toph, Sokka and Katara made their way through the crowd. 'It's now or never.' His mind rang out and his heart skipped a beat as his eyes stared at Katara. She blushed furiously under his gaze. Toph looked up, startled. She could feel his nervousness and the connection to Katara. She smiled. "Hey Twinkletoes!" Toph grabbed out Sokka's black sword from the sheath that rested in on his back. He protested loudly as she took it. Walking up the stairs herself, the handle fell off the intricate metal. She demonstrated her metal bending as she reshaped the sword.
Sokka's jaw dropped as his precious sword was torn apart at the earth benders' hands. He'd spent a few days looking in the area he'd seen it drop after loosing it on the air ships the day of the comet. They all knew how much effort he spent in making the sword with his master. Now it was destroyed. "Calm down, Sokka. I'll reshape it when Aang is done. Besides, it needed to be sharpened anyway." Toph's voice carried to the now depressed boy. "Aang needs this more than you right now anyway." She had re-arranged the metal into a cone and handed it to Aang. Patting him on the back, she then rose him above the crowd.
"Way to put me on the spot, Toph.." He jumped as his voice echoed inside the cone. The audience laughed. "Fire Nation, Earth Territories and Water Tribes," he began. The cone in front of his mouth and the people shushed one another. "As Zuko stated and as everyone knows, I am the last Air Bender. The last of my kind. You all have families that tie you to who you are. Earth, and Fire benders, Water benders.." his eyes rested on Katara again as she listened intently to what he was saying. "But not I. I have no families. There is no one but myself and Appa and Momo at the desolate Air Temples." He lowered the cone a moment, gathering his thoughts. 'Here we go.' Determination shown in his eyes and he began speaking again, his usually soft-spoken voice now hardened as though he were no longer a teenager, but a wise man. Truthfully speaking, he wasn't. "Before I faced the Fi-I mean Ozai, I was taught some lessons by the great Lion Turtle of the oceans. He showed me a way to defeat our enemy without killing. Everyone expected me to dispose of the man Ozai. But the monks a long time ago taught me that life is sacred. Something to be cherrished. Even if it's life inside an evil man like Ozai is. We should respect it."
A few cheers from the spectators sounded. The pause was short-lived. "I want to rebuild the balance. I took away his fire bending. My job as the Avatar is to keep balance in the world. When I die, my spirit will be reincarnated to the Water Tribes. That Avatar will have the same job as I do now. Though hopefully an easier time and a longer amount of time to learn the elements.." he laughed nervously. He spoke truthfuly though. It should have taken him twenty years to master all the elements. Aang successfully learned and practiced the other three within a few months' time span. "But when that new Avatar is born, there will be no one to teach him or her Air Bending. When I die, that's it. That's the balance keeling over because an evil man long ago wanted everything for himself. The new Fire Lord wants to correct what was destroyed long ago. But even rebuilding the temples won't bring back the Monks." Aang faultered, his voice cracking just a little.
Katara gasped at his next words. "I took away Ozai's talent. But what's to say that I can't awaken the talent inside people who don't know how to bend? Why can I not recreate the Air Nomads with the same technique?" The crowd grew still. "People of all nations. The four elements should always be four. I am all that's left unless we do something to restore this number to what it should be." Some people shifted nervously. Everyone knew what he was saying. They all wanted the same thing: balance, peace. But what he was suggesting was an uncertainty that no one ever spoke of. "In the past and even now, a fire bender will produce more fire benders. I want to awaken the dormant Air Nomads around the world. The people who have no talent in Bending. To restore balance, we must make it so. It will take time, but it's been time that's destroyed it. So let's turn it around!" He was almost pleeding with the people now. "My plan is to first restore the temples. The people that help with the restorations will be considered first. I will choose people from every nation and do an evaluation on them. My past lives will help me with this and we will choose people to live as the Monks did so long ago and we will give them the ability to Air Bend."
He listened to the whispers of the people as they exchanged words amoungst themselves. He tossed the black cone down to Toph who quickly bent it back to a sword that Sokka immediately took from her and hugged, and lowered himself back to ground level on the stage. Zuko still stood where he'd been when he had moved aside to let Aang speak. His one good eye shone a stunned silence and his mouth was open as he stared at the younger man. Aang really wanted to do his job as Avatar. But no one had thought he'd go this far to do it. "I'm with you, Avatar!" A man's voice shouted from the audience. "Me too!" A woman this time. Several cheers and agreements shouted up. Hats and ribbons flew across the air as the people around them jumped and yelled out their acceptance of Aang's decision. "Aang." Zuko's soft voice broke the cheers and shushed them all. "You do know that you'll need to do more than just awaken the powers, right? It will take more than that. You will need to take a wife that is not a bender and-"
Aang's eyes widened and he sucked in a breath, cutting off the fire bender. He hadn't thought of that! Gasps from the peers rang out all around them. He quickly looked down to Katara. That meant.. he couldn't be with her! She was a water bender with the talent to bend. He wished now he could have taken back his speach. Too little too late though. Katara's eyes were locked on him. Disbelieving what she'd heard Zuko say. Sokka's hand fell on her shoulder as tears whelled up in her eyes and ran down her face. Aang turned to her and took a step closer. She shoved Sokka's hand aside and covered her face with her hands, running away from the party. His heart sank and he lowered his eyes. How could he be so stupid?! He glared up at Zuko. "Agni Kai! Right now!" A fireball shot out of his fist at Zuko's feet and the Fire Lord stumbled back. The sky shone dusk now. The time of day when all Agni Kai were held.
"What?" Zuko was startled at Aang's mood change. He hadn't spoken against Aang, he just stated a fact that the young hadn't thought through. "Aang, hold on-" he blocked a fireball coming at his face. He sighed. There was no reasoning with him. He removed his robes to reveal his scared but well-muscled chest. Dark red trousers covered his legs and black boots on his feet were all that was left. He tossed the yukata aside and took up a defensive stance. "I don't understand, Aang. What gives?" Zuko looked into the eyes of the Avatar. They shimmered in the fading light. He was vaguely aware that the bon fires were being lit around the celebration grounds as Aang began his assault on Zuko.
They danced in a circle. Earth benders creating walls of rock rising and falling to protect the innocent people around them who were watching the spectacle. Toph shouted out at the benders around her. "Raise the stage!" Her voice echoed off the earthen pillars and the benders took stances up immediately and in unison rose it. The ground rumbled and people backed off as a large slope formed as they were given a new height of ten feet to look up to in order to see the fight. This would help save the people far faster than benders trying to block the quick fireballs. A blue flash lit up the sky as Aang summoned up lightning and fired it at Zuko. The scarred man redirected the deadly shot out to an unoccupied mountain. Purely on the defensive, Zuko wanted to figure out why Aang was acting this way. This was nothing like the happy-go-lucky boy he and everyone else knew.
Red and blue flashed in the sky as Aang relentlessly threw attack after attack at Zuko. In turn, Zuko only dodged or redirected the attacks. Not wanting to fight back entirely. He would throw some, but he mainly wanted to talk to Aang. "What are you doing? Just because I mentioned-" he stumbled from a fireball that hit his stomach and regained what composure he could as Aang rushed him to fight hand to hand. Tears streamed down his face. Zuko understood now. The Avatar's feelings for Katara had been made known the moment they had set foot in the Fire Nation just after Ozai was defeated and Zuko crowned the new Fire Lord. With Aang's decision to recreate the Air Nomads, his desire to be with Katara would be forced to a stand-still, and Katara would have to decide if she would accept Aang for what he would be required to do. As the only Air Bender left, he would have to produce offspring as well in hopes to fully revive his kind. "Aang, it's not like you can take away her bending ability to be with her." Zuko tried to reason with him. The young Avatar froze, as though in thought.
That, again, was not something he had thought about! "Aang. Don't." Zuko warned him. "Water bending is as much apart of her as your air bending is to you." Zuko began to throw his own attacks into the mix and fire flew from his body.
Aang was now on the defense. Zuko knew what was going through his mind. The youth wanted to take away her ability just to be with her. "Why not!?" Aang protested as Zuko continued to force him to stay in the arena. "I want to be with her and that's the only solution that can be made to save my kind!" He was now using some Air bending to keep the Fire Lord at a distance. It was no longer an Agni Kai. More of one keeping the other from commiting a great harm to another balance.
"Listen to yourself. Only wanting to save the Air Nomad race. Did you forget that Katara is also the last water bender? Aside from the old man, Pakku, she is the only one! If you take her bending away, there goes the Water Tribes!" Aang stopped again. Zuko obviously didn't remember all the water benders in the northern tribes when he invaded the area. That was when Aang had effectively battered up Zhao's ships in the Avatar state.
He took a fireball to his left shoulder and staggered back to start blocking Zuko's advancing punches. Aang said nothing. He didn't want Zuko to remember the large establishment in the north and all the water benders there. More heated fists flew. Fire errupted from Zuko's toes as he added kicks into the mix. Breathing hard now, their bodies covered in sweat, the sun dipped behind the last peak of the mountain. The sky darkened to show the stars and the waxing gibbous moon. Lanterns were lit all around the compound. No one stirred as the two continued to fight. Their heads turned up to them in awe. The earth and water people had never seen an Agni Kai before and it was like a mesmorizing dance to them, choreographed and acted out for their viewing pleasure. Of course the members of the Fire Nation knew better. They stood in silence, waiting for the outcome. The Avatar was powerful, but so was Zuko. It was anyone's guess on the victor.
Toph jumped slightly. It was over. No one had seen it, but she felt it happening.
Zuko's leg extended too far. Aang took this to his advantage and grabbed his ankle, wrapping his arm around it. He threw the Fire Lord off balance by shoving his leg toward him and then bringing his foot behind the one leg left still planted on the ground.. Toph lowered the platform as Zuko's body hit the ground. Everyone gasped as Aang flung a blue ball of fire at him. Enraged, Aang had been aiming at his face directly. Toph's actions had saved Zuko a matching scar on his right side to the left one. It sundered his shoulder and part of his neck and lower cheek. He cried out in pain and quickly moved to put the flames out on his skin. The smell of burning flesh filled the air. Aang stood and jumped away from everyone using his Air Bending to leap over the crowd and away from Zuko in the direction he saw Katara run.
Writhing in pain on the ground, Zuko's screams of pain carried through the air. A medical team quickly moved in to secure the Fire Lord. Sokka and Suki ran up to their fallen friend as he screamed. Earth benders had to restrain him using their gift to keep him from lashing out as they tried to administer ointments and herbs to ease the pains and burning. Toph slowly approached them. "Ka... Kata..ra.. Save her.." Zuko gasped out as the meds very slowly took effect. They all looked at him questioningly. "Aang.. wants to take her bending." He grimmaced as aloe was slathered to his shoulder and neck. He bit back another scream as a damp bandage was slapped down onto him and then secured tightly. Sokka gasped and Suki covered her mouth, their eyes wide.
Toph grabbed their arms. "Let's go! Aang is mad right now and isn't thinking. We can reach her before he can!" A stetcher was made out of the ground around Zuko's body and he was carried away as the trio ran the opposite direction. Katara could be anywhere. It would take time to get to her, and Aang hadn't taken Appa. Unless he stopped to look into the earth to find her heartbeat, the three would find her first. At least they hoped to.
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Katara had run off away from the stage as Zuko revealed to everyone the extent of Aang's plans. She was going to tell him she couldn't spend her life with him, but this.. this hurt her inside. She found a rock hidden well within the woods away from the celebration and climbed on top of it to cry. Even Toph's feet would have a hard time detecting her on this. It would be better if she climbed into one of the nearby trees. She didn't care right now. Sobbing into her arms, she wondered why Aang hadn't chased her. Muffled cheers came from the crowds of people congregating at the cleared site. Slowly, she turned around to look at the scene. Flashes of blue lightning and red fire balls lit the sky. Gasping, Katara realised that Aang and Zuko were fighting once again.
Over her?
No.. it couldn't be. Descending off the rock, she made her way over to the lake that was nearby. It was small and secluded. Far enough away from everything that she could have the privacy she wanted to sort things out. In the faint distance, she heard a terrifying scream of agony. She stopped abruptly and turned around to look the way she had come. Trailing back toward the scream, she started to run. Recognizing it as Zuko, her mind raced with her feet. What had happened? Breaking through the trees, Katara saw the stage being lowered. Aang's orange and yellow robed form stood over Zuko who writhed on the ground. Her gutt churned as a small breeze kicked up and brought to her nose the scent of burning flesh. Katara felt sick. Why would Aang do this?! He stood up and she saw him leap away from everything. Running away again. She paled. In search of her? If he did that to Zuko, what's to stop him from doing more to her?
Turning to run back to the lake, trying to drown out Zuko's screams of pain, Katara fled once more. Slipping on rocks, falling to her feet and her normal blue dress and pants tearing from carelessly running by bushes, she realised she was afraid of Aang now. She heard her name being called out by four different people. Aang amoung them. And Toph! She had to get away. Even if just for a moment. Breaking through the trees, she saw the lake just ahead of her. Aang landed in front of her and she skidded to a hault. Breathing heavily, she looked to his soft eyes fearfully. He smiled at her and held out his hand to her. "Katara.." his voice broke slightly. She staggered back a little, her chest heaving from her run. He looked hurt by her not coming to him. "Please, Katara. I want to be with you." He lifted his other hand and blew a gust of wind to his right, his arms now crossed. Katara looked that way just in time to see Sokka's boomerang falling to the ground.
"No! Aang don't do it!" Sokka yelled as he ran in their direction. Aang's eyes didn't divert from Katara. That same smile on his face. The ground beneath her encased her legs and she screamed to grab the ground encasing her up to her knees. Aang suddenly started to move away from her as the ground rumbled beneath her. Toph stepped in front of her and then released her legs halfway. She was struggling to set her free. Katara looked up to see Aang angry with Toph and fought earth bending with her. Katara could feel herself being yanked in one direction and then another. She fought hard to keep her balance and ended up on the ground. Sokka once again threw his boomerang at Aang's head to distract him. It took both hands to earth bend and Toph would have an advantage if just for a moment if Aang could be distracted. "Leave her alone!" Sokka yelled out.
The distraction worked, though not as intended. Aang turned toward Sokka and used his hands to send the boomerang back to Sokka, slapping him directly in the forehead. In this time, Toph set Katara free and the earth bent strongly under her to send her back in the direction of Suki. "You guys don't know how to let us be, do you?" Aang demanded. Taking up her stance, Toph said nothing. She would give him a harder time than Zuko could ever hope to because of the way she saw with the ground. He didn't let his guard down.
Katara looked up at Suki as the woman bent down to pick her up. "What the hell is going on?!" She demanded as she dusted herself off.
Suki looked into her eyes. "Katara, Aang wants to take your bending away. You can't let him do this!" Katara paled.
"How do you know that?" She stood her ground instead of running as Suki tried to pull her away from Aang more.
Suki stopped. "Zuko told us. Aang challenged him to an Agni Kai as you ran away and when it was over, Aang almost scared Zuko again. It missed him... mostly." The last word was like a knife in her heart.
"Aang.. did what?" Her voice was a harsh whisper. Katara was trying to comprehend what Suki just told her. "So I wasn't just hearing things when I heard the scream? Zuko really is hurt?" Her friend nodded gravely. That was all Katara needed to hear. She turned back to Aang and stalked his way, furiously mad.
Suki was dragged along, trying to get her to go the other way. "No! Katara.. Please!" Sokka from the ground scampered out of his little sisters' way as she stormed up to Aang. Her hand in the air, she brought it down hard on Aang's cheek leaving a large red mark. Toph lowered her stance and Aang stared right at her. No longer smiling.
He reached for her and she jerked away, making him flinch. "Don't touch me!" She declaired to him. Suki gasped. "You hurt Zuko just because of some tantrum?! He has enough problems right now! Then you go and think it's in your right to scar him again?!!" Aang's hand traveled to his cheek as it began to swell slightly. Tears filled his eyes.
"Katara.. I'm sorry.. I just.. I just wanted to be happy. I thought that you would be happy with me and-" he stopped and flinched when Katara huffed in agrivation turning away from him. She stormed off back to the clearing. He sadly hung his head in defeat. It was then that Aang realised that he had, indeed, caused much pain to Zuko. Toph, Suki and Sokka started to walk away from the area. A breeze made the night chill and Aang stood there by the small lake alone, a tear dripping off his cheek to leave him just as the others had by escaping to the ground. The night was now silent around him. He slowly reached into his shirt and pulled out the small whistle shaped like Appa and blew into it. The trio caught up to the huffing angry Katara just as the trees shook violently. They all looked up to see Appa soaring over them in the opposite direction, a sleepy rumbling bellowing from his throat.
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The sky was dark and lit only by the few stars that dotted the sky and the moon. Katara ran into the area, proceeding to ask people where Zuko had been taken. Once she had her directions, Toph, Suki and Sokka began to clear the way for her. Upon entering a small hut that had been quickly formed, Zuko's painful cries rang in her ears. As the rest of the world partied, he was here suffering. "Excuse me." Katara called out to the people tending to the pained man. They all turned in her direction.
"You're not supposed to be here." a tall muscular man stepped up to remove her from the earthen tent. Toph quickly shifted the earth beneath his feet and he was shoved off to one side as Katara stepped by him. The other doctors looked at eachother. Toph grinned at them and cracked her knuckles as they backed away slowly. "You best just leave her be now." Sokka looked at the large man, informing him the smartest way to stay alive or in the tent in one piece.
Katara kneeled by Zuko and put her hand on his forehead. His breathing was a little ragged and he had a fever. Nothing too big aside from the burning of his neck and shoulder. He opened his golden eyes to look into her large worried blue orbs surrounded by her mocha skin. "Let me help you." Katara said softly to him. He nodded. Relieved that she'd been saved from Aang in time, he relaxed more. Toph released him from the bindings that held him in one place as Katara drew up some water from the skin at her side. Her hands became encased in the liquid and it began to glow. "Relax. It'll help more if you're not so tense." She whispered down to him. He breathed out, trying to do just that. Ducking her head a moment, he didn't miss the tear that fell from her face. He said nothing.
The room glowed with the blue light emanating from her hands as she concentrated. Placing her hands down on his shoulder, he jumped at the coldness of the water. His burn slowly began to heal. He gazed up into her eyes as another tear fell from her cheek. He reached up to cup her face gently. Smiling up at her, Zuko's pain subsuded. Lowering his hand, he tilted his head so she could get his neck and lower chin. She smiled sweetly down at him and retreived more water from her skin to apply to the other two areas. The physicians vacated the tent with Suki, Sokka and Toph. Katara would be fine.
Katara's eyes watched as the skin began to regrow and take on the healthier form again. The healthy skin grew from the outter edges to the inside, the burnt particles turning from black to his light flesh tone. "Thank you." Zuko looked back up to her. She nodded silently as she let what was left of the water drop from her hands and splashed onto the floor. "I'm glad they were able to get to you in time." She broke down in a loud sob and tears spilled from her eyes. Zuko sat up and placed his hand on her head, trying to comfort her. "Katara. If you like, you can come to my palace." Sniffling, she looked up to him confused. "In case he tries to locate you and do it again. Stay with me for a while."
"Aang isn't stupid. I don't think he'll try to contact me for any reason now." Katara tried to wipe the tears away but they kept flowing uncontrolably. "You still have a temperature. Lay back down." She ordered the Fire Lord. He chuckled and pulled her up to him as he stood. Embracing her tightly, a sob caught in her throat. "Zuko.." she protested vocally but didn't try to push him away.
"If only you had been there for the first one." His voice was solemn as he spoke into her hair. "I will have an entourage ready for us at the docks to head back to my nation, if you so wish to join us." Zuko let her out of his embrace before the slow rising of his manhood could be brought to her attention. Stepping out of the earthen tent, he was met by the multitude that was the fire nation here at the celebration grounds. Iroh stepped up to hug his nephew. Katara slowly emerged from the doorway. People cheered, a few whistled and others just clapped. Zuko had no scarring showing that anyone could see on his shoulder where most of the blast had hit. Though the nerves would be damaged, there wouldn't be a result like the one on his chest or face.
Sokka approached Katara. "You okay?" He held his sister. She nodded and Sokka hugged her. Katara gladly accepted a cup of tea from Iroh and drank it down quickly.
"I'm going to the Fire Nation with Zuko." She announced to her brother when the tea was gone. Katara hadn't realised she was talking so loud as the people in the hoard could hear her. Several whistles and cheers from them invited Katara to snap her head up and blush hard as the people made their assumptions known. Groaning, her palm met her face as Zuko was even taken aback by the way the people acted. He shooed them away and turned to Katara. "I just.. need to.." her body swayed and began to fall. She stumbled a little and her hand found Zuko's left shoulder for stability. Her breathing became faint and her vision tunnled. Sokka yelled out as he tried to catch her. Before Katara hit the ground, strong arms caught her body. Ears ringing, eye sight fading, Katara's body was turned as she was lowered to the ground softly, her head resting on Zuko's lap.
Faces appeared as she blinked. They were blurry and the voices muffled, incoherently blending into one voice. Zuko's worried eye looked at her as her head tilted to the one side as the darkness took her. "I'll make some tea up to wake her." Iroh suggested and then headed toward one of the tea stands that was on the grounds. Zuko picked her up bridal style and began to carry her back into the tent he'd been in. He stopped.
"We'll take her to Ba Sing Se." He stated flatly to Sokka. He walked away with Katara in his arms towards his gondola where a few guards stood at the ready for him. "She needs a break from this place." Not really talking at Sokka, he gazed down at Katara's unconcious form in his arms longingly. Stepping onto the platform, Zuko set Katara down onto the plush pillows carefully, then sat next to her to hold her for the ride. They would arrive in the city in a few hours he hoped.
"Hold on!" Toph's voice rang out as she stood in font of the drawn curtains of the chosen transportation. Zuko paled. 'Oh no!' His mind screamed out at him as she cracked her knuckles and stretched a moment. "Here we go!" King Buumi's voice was behind them. Zuko gripped Katara's body, pulling her onto his lap and she moaned. The ground suddenly rose up beneath them as the two earth benders swung their arms about. Though this was faster, it still was unconfortable for Zuko. The two benders swayed their arms, their hands flicking in unison and the ground gave way to their administerings, rolling beneath them and the gondola with little effort.
Into the city and up the mountain driving some people to clamber out of the way, the blind girl and the old man worked relentlessly up to the top where Buumi's own palace lay. They had reached Ba Sing Se in mere minutes as they had rolled over the land. Finally feeling the ground stop moving, Zuko picked up Katara again and stepped off the gondola to follow Buumi into a room where she could be set to rest on a comfortable bed. Letting her legs drop carefully, Zuko pulled the blankets to a large bed back and lay her on it. Now that they were in decent lighting, he could see the area around her eyes was puffy. Possibly from crying. Her face was dirty, clean streaks from her eyes told him a silent story. Katara's clothing was torn in every place. Beyond fixing, even.
Turning to Buumi and Toph in the doorway, Zuko was silent a moment. "She needs a bath and fresh clothing." He was on his knee beside her. Buumi scratched his head a moment as Toph stayed silent.
"I gave my servants the day off in case they wanted to join the festivities." He finally admited. "I will get a robe for her, though it will probably be too large for her to actually wear." Zuko sighed. "A water bowl and sponge for you to bathe her then?" He walked off with a rather large smile on his face.
"Wait! What? No-I.." Zuko's voice fell and trailed off as Buumi walked away. He then looked up to Toph who still stood there. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. She couldn't see his eyes pleading her to help him out. He opened his mouth to speak to her when she interupted him, "I'm sure Sokka will want to know his sister is doing fine." Pointing at him, she added to it. "Hurt her, and you'll regret it." She walked away, her hand trailing on the walls of the hallway. Zuko groaned. The door to his visiting quarters closed and a large pitcher with an empty bowl, sponge and towels were slid out into the middle of the room. Zuko looked curiously at it. There was a note in the bowl that slowly became visable as it trailed to him slowly.
He picked up the note and read aloud to himself, "Sorry to leave you like this, Fire Lord. But my help is needed. Apparently people are accusing the Avatar of directly attacking you. An authority figure is needed to separate the fights." Zuko blinked. Well Aang had attacked him. But he didn't take offense to it. He read on. You'll find whatever you need to take care of your lady to be easily accessible." He paused. "Wait.. My lady?!" Soft groaning alerted him to look at Katara laying on the bed. Dropping the note, he turned back to her as her eyes fought to open up, her head lolling back and forth. He kneeled above her body.
Outside in the hallway, Toph smiled and Buumi muffled a laugh. Walking away, they soon returned to the party grounds. Of course the note was a lie! Sokka greeted them as they approached. He demanded to know where and how Katara was. "She's fine. She's getting some good treatment right now. No need to worry." Buumi had a grin plastered on his face. Sokka couldn't help to notice that Toph also had the same look on her usually blank face. "Good race, Toph!" Buumi exclaimed, seeing Sokka's eyebrow arch. The elder man patted the blind youth on the back and kackled as he walked away. Toph started to laugh; obviously forced as she walked away from Sokka to find Suki.
Sokka hummed. "Well, if Buumi says she's fine.." He turned back to the food stands and tried to decide on which to eat at. Seeing his father and Bato, he waved them down. They turned to meet him, a scroll in Hakoda's hands. Another water tribes' man bowed to them and scampered off. "Hey dad, what's that?"
Hakoda sighed, looking down at the paper. He almost looked sad. "Sokka, where's your sister?" Sokka slowed his pace to stand next to them.
"She fainted after she healed Zuko up. They took her to the city. Buumi said she needed an actual bed or something like that. Why?" Hakoda handed over the scroll to Sokka. His eyes skimmed the contents and his jaw dropped. "You can't do that! Why would you? She's your daughter!" He threw the scroll on the ground. "Forcing her into a marriage where she doesn't even know the guy? Dad, that's just as low as Ozai!" He stalked away. "Toph!" He called out to his blind friend. Where could she be?
Hakoda sighed as Bato bent to pick up the scroll. "I'm sure Katara would understand, Hakoda. It's the right thing to do." They stumbled as the ground shook. Looking up, Sokka and Suki were taking off with Toph bending the ground to transport them quickly to Ba Sing Se.
Above the roaring wind, Toph yelled to Suki and Sokka, "If you find you don't like what's going on, don't worry about it. She's in good hands." Sokka didn't see her smile or hear her muffle a giggle. He didn't want to either. What and how she said it did not sound good to him either way.
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Zuko's heart beat loudly in his ears. Well, she did need a bath and the clothing on her was just begging to be replaced. It's not like he hadn't seen a naked female before. But this was Katara! He ignored his rising heat as he gently removed her clothing. Most of it just ripped when he attempted to take it off nicely. Growing frustrated with it, he decided to just tear it off. It was trash anyway. Soon her naked body lay there for him. Though she was unconcious, a blush rose to his face. Picking up the pitcher and poured water into the bowl, he heated it to a warm temperature. Dipping the sponge into the water, he wrung it out slightly, and then sat on the bed next to her. Beginning with her face, he gently rubbed her skin with the sponge and dabbed away the excess water with a small towel. His eyes darted to her body. Growing frustrated with himself, he snatched up another towel and covered her body where he wasn't cleaning. At least that would keep his eyes from wandering. Well, he hoped it would work.
Wringing the sponge out in the bowl, he filled it again and started on her neck. "How'd you get so dirty?" He asked her absentmindedly. Working down her arms and to her hands, he patted her dry tenderly as the sponge was redampened time and again. The water in the bowl slowly became dirt filled. He looked longingly at her then touched his right shoulder and sighed. Standing and grabbing up the bowl, Zuko stepped out of the room to replace the water.Upon entering again, he found Katara sitting up. Her head resting in her hand while the other one steadied her as she tried to stand. "Katara!" Zuko rushed to her side. He put his hand on her shoulder, trying to get her steady again. "You need to lay down. You collapsed." His face turned red at the sight of her breasts now uncovered from the towel that had dropped to her lap. Picking it up, he tried to wrap it around her torso.
She shoved his hands away, not really recognizing who he was. "No.." a mumbled response escaped her mouth. "Need to .. Zu..ko.." Standing and then stumbling into his arms, her face was flush. "Have.. to help him.. he needs me." Zuko shook his head and helped her to stand more efficiently. Her left arm draped onto his shoulder while her body slouched a little. He struggled to hold her up without bodily contact. He was failing miserably.
"Katara, I'm fine. You healed me. Look at me!" Her head lolled back, a fevered smile on her face, eyes drooping. She raised herself up to him and hugged her body close and tight to him. "Katara.." Zuko tried to urge her away from him. Becoming stiff again from her breasts pushed up against his chest, he sucked in a wild breath as she dazedly planted her lips on his. Their bodies now pressed up against eachother. He had to hold her tightly so that she didn't fall again.
The door swung open and as thus, this was the scene Sokka burst into first. Suki traveled in after him and gasped with her face turning flush red immediately. The sight of seeing his little sisters' naked body pressed against their one time enemy and now Fire Lord who was still shirtless and.. was he pitching a tent?! To add to it, they were kissing! This made Sokka's blood boil.
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The Last Five Minutes