Fly Away...

Sometimes solutions aren’t so simple….

As carnage littered the dirt-strewed ground, she tried her hardest to resurrect his pale, fading body inside the metal fortress. Drawing out more water from her pouch fastened to her waist, she covered her hands with it and aimed again to heal his chest, trying to regularize his faint, uneven beating.
Tears started to well up in her eyes, flooding over and splashing onto his chest. She leaned down and caressed his face. “Zu-Zuko,” she stuttered, coughing as a lump appeared in her throat. “P-please, don’t leave me,” she commanded, still sobbing as the glow of the water started to fade.
The invasion had ended, the eclipse a mere memory due to the gray, smoky sky. The sun, a golden ray, was peering over the edge of the nearby ocean water, teetering out of sight quickly. Swords, anvils, spears, and huge chunks of rock were scattered everywhere near the royal palace. The courtyard had been reduced to ashy moulds of earth, and everywhere you could hear the cries of the wounded. The lone healer though, had ears for no one except for the prince she was crying over. Just minutes ago, a victorious cry had been heard from inside the throne room, and out emerged Aang, limping but triumphant amok the evil that had been rampant for decades. His tattered clothes hung loose over his twitching body, and his face was weak with tears. Katara gave him a confused look as she sat near Zuko, who had fallen quite a while ago at his father’s hands. “T-Toph,” he muttered, his voice husky and masked with a stoic fixture, although he was torn up and aching inside. He unsheathed his glider and flew away, letting out a small cry, and Katara let him be. She had her own healing to do for Zuko.
Now she wished that that night before, she had told him the truth.

Sometimes goodbye’s the only way…

The truth. The simple truth. She remembered the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. How she had realized that the prince was not a deranged, power-hungry maniac set to destroy Aang. That night, she had seen the real, true Zuko, a vulnerable person who had only seen misery early on in life.
She remembered the hate coursing through her veins when she had seen him again, trying to beg the group of forgiveness after nearly killing the avatar. She remembered trying her hardest not to hurt him, convincing herself that she would be there for the group if he tried to betray them.
Eventually came the trust that developed with staying within the group. She saw how the others honestly trusted him. She saw the progress Aang had gained in firebending with him, how the avatar had grown stronger and more mentally wise. She saw how Toph and him got along well, joking around, and how Sokka and him had grown to form a brotherhood, one that couldn’t be penetrated easily.
She found herself laughing at his jokes, helping him around the camps they set in the Fire Nation, supporting him and getting along with him like no one else.
She could trust him, she could talk with him, she could bend with him, she could fight
with him and hug him and …
No, not now. She needed him now more than ever. Ozai couldn’t just kill him like that, he couldn’t. No matter how powerful the lightning was. She knew that Zuko was only protecting her when Ozai shot the lightning and ran, and the guilt began to consume her.

And the sun will set for you….

She looked back at his peaceful, serene face. His eyes were closing now, his lids shutting her from his golden gaze. The sun was the color of his eyes, being eaten up by the ocean blue.
She started crying again as his eyes closed, his mouth open slightly. Why did she never tell him? Lowering her head, she brushed his silky black hair out of his face, further exposing his perfect face. She kissed him softly, and murmured, “Zuko, don’t leave me.”

Will embrace the world in gray…

She began to stand up, wiping the tears still falling from her face. The gaang had always talked about how risky the invasion was, but never had she imagined that anyone might die, least of all him. Since she had gotten to know him, he had always been determined and strong, exuding the confidence to defeat his family and help heal the Fire Nation. His dreams had been achieved with the death of his father at Aang’s hands, but he never could see them realized. Katara sniffed again at that, thinking about the life Zuko could have had ahead of him as the ruler of the glorious Fire Nation, which he would have restored given the chance. She tried to imagine a life without him, an empty black soulless life. She just couldn’t see herself not visiting him, or even living with him. Facing the final moments of the sunset, she opened her eyes to the brilliant light radiating to her, engulfing her in warmth. At least Zuko had succeeded. He had finally beaten his sister, and seen his family finished. He had found his mom, gained Iroh’s respect back, and become the perfect prince.

And the sun will set for you…

Katara faced the sunset, alone, with no one to support her. And yet, the sole memory of her prince was enough to light her life forever.