Sacrifice

*Katara's POV

"No lighting today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it," Zuko asked Azula as she struggled to her feet.

A look of complete anger and madness formed on Azula's face, "Oh, I'll show you lighting!" She widened her stance and moved her hands around in a methodical and practiced manner, gathering up lighting ready to aim it at Zuko. Zuko knew what was coming and inhaled deeply, positioning himself in a defensive stance, ready to redirect her lightning.

I stood there frozen anticipating her strike, hoping that Zuko would be okay. Azula was staring straight at Zuko directing all her fury at him, but at the last moment, as I was holding my breath from the anxiety, her gaze moved towards me. She shifted her body weight and did the last thing I had expected. She sent the lighting at me. I watched in horror as the blue tendrils approached, and desperately tried to move out of the way, but my feet were rooted to the ground. I knew it was the end, I was going to die.

*Zuko's POV

"Noooooo!" I watched as Azula sent the searing hot lighting towards Katara. She wouldn't move, and I knew I had to do something. I don't know what came over me, but I was not going to let her die. She meant too much to me.

I lunged at the lightning, throwing myself in front of Katara. I felt the searing pain as the lightning hit my torso and entered my body. I managed to redirect it away from my heart, but the damage had still been done.

I laid there on the ground, twitching uncontrollably. I was vaguely aware of my surroundings and I watched as Katara ran towards me, but was stopped by another one of Azula's lightning strikes. She stood there, laughing maniacally, and advanced towards Katara, ready to chase her down.

*Katara's POV

I couldn't believe what just happened. I was ready to die, but Zuko threw himself in front of the lighting to protect me, he saved my life. He laid there on the floor twitching, "Zuko!" I ran towards him but was quickly turned around by Azula, who fired another lightning strike at me.

She jumped and flipped onto one of the rooftops surrounding the palace square and started to conjure lighting, "I'd really rather our family physician look after little ZuZu if you don't mind." She fired the lightning, but this time I was prepared. I quickly raised my outstretched hands, sending a wave up to protect me from her lighting. I hid behind one of the posts as her attention turned towards Zuko.

"ZuZu, you don't look so good," she saw me behind the post and sent another lightning strike at me. I ran out of the way, barely escaping with my life. I sent a stream of water crashing down on the spot where she was standing earlier, but she wasn't there anymore. She appeared behind me, blasting blue fire from her hands and feet to propel herself forward through the air.

I pulled water from a nearby water duct and created a path of ice in front of me as I moved, attempting to gain the high ground. She chased after me, firing flames whichever chance she got. I jumped off of my ice path and landed on a metal grating. I could hear the sounds of rushing water deep below, then I noticed a metal chain hanging from a nearby post. I had an idea. I hid behind the post, waiting for her to find me. I heard her footsteps echo on the stone. When she got close enough, I stepped out into the open so that she could see me.

"There you are, filthy peasant." She approached me silently, and I waited until she was standing right on the metal grating. I took a deep breath and reached for the chain that hung on the post. I extended my hands and pulled the water from beneath the metal grating up until it surrounded us both. I froze the water around us and watched her panic when she realized she couldn't move.

I slowly exhaled, melting the ice around me back into water. I moved around to her back slowly and took her wrists in my hands. I tied the chain around them firmly and secured her to the metal grating. Then I extended my hands and brought the water crashing down on top of us, sending it back down into the depths. We both collapsed, gasping for air. Once I made sure that she was tied down securely, I ran towards Zuko, who was still on the ground.

I knelt beside him and took him into my arms. I felt tears run down my cheeks as I watched him groan in pain. I wasn't going to let him die. I took out my water pouch and opened it. I slowly bent the water out and placed it over his injury. It began to glow a bright blue and I knew it was working. He winced in pain but then exhaled in relief when I finished. His beautiful golden eyes bore into mine as he weakly uttered out, "Thank you, Katara."

I felt more tears stain my cheeks, "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." I lowered myself down next to him and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I turned to my side and sobbed into the crook of his neck, hugging him around the middle. He turned to look at me and moved a strand of hair away from my eyes. He pulled me in closer and placed a light kiss on my forehead. We stayed there, wrapped up in each other arms, and that was the safest I had felt in a long, long time.