This story came to me while I was sick and on Sudafed. Does not follow the Oracle timeline.

It's rated: M; which means language, adult situations, and smut.

Enjoy & Review!

Disclaimer: Do Not Own.

Sozin’s Comet came and the results were mixed. Iroh and the Order of the White Lotus successfully took back Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King. Sokka, Suki, and Toph single handedly destroyed all the airships that were planning to burn the world. Katara and Zuko stopped the crazed Azula. Sadly that was all the good news. Aang could not go into the Avatar State and he was unable to beat Ozai. He barely made it out alive. Appa returned to Ba Sing Se with a gravely injured Zuko and a necklace but no Katara.

Weeks have past and there was no word on Katara. Ozai declared himself Fire Lord again and Azula was charged with treason. With the success of recapturing Ba Sing Se, people have been flocking to the city to join the ever growing military. Sokka became involved in planning another invasion on the Fire Nation. Aang began training again but he refused to talk about why he could not go into the Avatar State. Master Piandao came back from a mission in the Fire Nation and he had news.

****

“He’s up!”

“Zuko, can you hear me?”

“Don’t need to yell Snoozles! He can hear you just fine!”

“Don’t move boy! You are still injured!”

The last thing that Zuko remembered was standing in front of Katara and taking the lightning blast. He could hear Katara screaming his name and he could smell the burning flesh. Then everything went black.

Zuko slowly opened his amber eyes and saw three heads staring at him. He blinked his eyes a couple of times trying to focus on the faces peering at him. He recognized the faces of Suki and Toph but he did not know the face of the angry woman. Toph gave him a smile and quickly turned around. Zuko assumed that the blind earthbender was wiping her eyes. Suki gave him a small smile but there was an abundance of sadness in her eyes.

“What happened?” Zuko groaned as he tried to get up. The angry woman pushed him back down into the bed.

“You are still weak,” the woman hissed.

“Ulna,” Zuko heard Sokka’s voice. He turned his head to see Sokka sitting on a chair with his leg propped up. His hair was not pulled back into his usual wolf tail. “Why don’t you give us a moment?”

Ulna glared at Sokka before she left the room. Zuko could hear her murmuring about an ungrateful Water Tribe bastard.

“Glad the bitch is gone,” Toph snorted and sat on the bed. “She was driving me insane.”

“Language,” Suki warned with a sad sigh. She sat on the armrest on Sokka’s chair.

Something was not right. Zuko looked around the room and noticed that he was not in his room at the Palace. The room was small and it was decorated in various shades of green. A heavy weight formed in his heart. This was not good.

“We’ve lost,” Zuko murmured.

“Yes and no Sparky,” Toph answered while she picked her toes.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Iroh recaptured Ba Sing Se,” Toph started. She gave her toes a little wiggle before picking at them again. “Warrior Princess, Snoozles, and I destroyed the airships and the world is still standing. Well except for Snoozles, he blew out his knee.”

“What about Aang?”

“Aang couldn’t defeat the Fire Lord,” Sokka said.

“He’s dead?” Zuko asked. He covered his face with his hands. This cannot be happening.

“He’s alive,” Suki replied. She wrapped her arm around Sokka and gave him a squeeze. “He couldn’t go into the Avatar State. Thank the spirits that we got to him in time.”

“So Ozai won,” Zuko sighed.

“For now,” Toph shrugged. Zuko cannot believe that Toph can be so callous right now. “Since we have Ba Sing Se and Omashu, we have been planning another invasion.”

“Another invasion?”

“We have been receiving news that the Fire Nation is falling apart,” Sokka answered before Toph could get another word in. “It has been giving everyone hope. Ba Sing Se is full of new recruits that want to stop Ozai once and for all.”

“The Fire Nation is falling apart?”

“Why are you asking stupid questions?” Toph snorted. Sokka placed his hand over his face and gave out a grunt of some sort. “Of course it’s falling apart! Ozai went nuts because he’s not the Phoenix Lord and Crazy is dead.”

Toph’s comment made Zuko sit up. He stared at the earthbender as if she sprouted another head. He must have heard her wrong.

“Azula is dead?” Zuko asked. Everyone nodded their heads. “Katara killed Azula?”

“No,” Suki said sadly. “Ozai killed Azula.”

“About Katara,” Sokka tried to explain but he was consumed with sadness.

“Where’s Katara?” Zuko growled. His heart slammed into his chest. He would never forgive himself if something horrible had happened to her. “Where is she?” he shouted.

“Sugar Queen wasn’t with you when Appa came back,” Toph explained. Sokka crumbled into the chair and began to cry.

“She’s not dead!” Zuko yelled. He could not understand the emotion that was surging in him. “She can’t be dead!”

“She’s not dead,” Toph said sounding way too sad. “We thought she was until we received word a week ago. Master Piandao had to go to the Fire Nation to confirm it.”

“What is it?”

“Zuko,” Suki placed her hand on the banished prince’s shoulder. “Katara did this to save you. If you were left behind, then you would’ve been dead.”

“What happened to Katara?”

“Katara is the Fire Lord’s waterbender.”

****

Zuko let out a yell. He tossed the bedsheets away from him and began storming out of the room. His chest erupted in pain but he ignored the dizzy feeling that it was giving him. He wanted to kill the bastard of a father with his bare hands. Zuko barely heard Sokka, Suki, and Toph chasing after him and shouting.

Servants and soldiers dived out of the way as the banished prince strode down the hall. People pointed down the correct hall when Zuko barked for directions. He was not letting anyone stop him until he has answers.

The guard gulped when Zuko demanded to open the door. He looked over the firebender’s shoulder to see Sokka, Suki, and Toph standing behind him. Zuko almost set the man on fire if he did not open the door but the guard did when Sokka gave him a nod. The pain intensified in his chest as he entered the room. All discussions stopped at once. Zuko realized that he was in a war room. Everyone was there; Aang, Iroh, the Order of the White Lotus, the Earth King, the Earth Kingdom generals, Hakoda, and the Water Tribe Warriors.

“Why is Katara in the Fire Nation?” Zuko shouted. His body quiver in anger and in pain.

“Nephew!” Iroh cried out. “You shouldn’t be up!”

“Don’t patronize me, Uncle!” Zuko growled. He felt light headed and his knees gave out. Suki was standing right behind him and was able to catch him. She led Zuko to an empty chair.

“Why did you leave Katara behind?” an angry voice shouted.

“Twinkle Toes!”

Zuko’s head snapped up and glared at Aang. He was outraged that Aang even suggest that he did this on purpose. A fireball formed in his hand but stop when Sokka gripped his shoulder. The fireball slowly died out and Zuko gave a deep breath to calm down. He should not let the young monk get to him and focus his energy on how to save Katara.

“Avatar Aang,” the Earth King said calmly. “From what I heard about Prince Zuko and Master Katara, I believe that Prince Zuko would not abandon her.”

Zuko was shock that the Earth King would defend him when he helped captured Ba Sing Se with his sister. Aang did not seem impressed by the Earth King and continued to glare at Zuko.

“He’s right Aang,” Sokka said glaring at the young monk. “Zuko would rather die before leaving Katara behind,” Zuko found that comment surprisingly true. “Besides he was dying when Appa returned. It’s obvious that Katara risked her life for his.”

“You can say that again!” Aang sneered.

“What’s your fucking problem?” Zuko shouted as he slammed his hand on the table. “I’ve been out for a couple of days and just found out that we lost because you can’t kill Ozai because it’s unethical,” Aang’s face twisted in anger.

“Weeks Sparky,” Toph whispered.

“Excuse me?” Zuko sputtered. He twisted his head so he can look at Toph.

“You’ve been out for a couple of weeks,” Zuko did not have a chance to respond to the comment when Hakoda cleared his throat.

“Son,” Hakoda started. Zuko’s eyes immediately went to the table. He did not want to see the pained emotion in the man’s blue eyes. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Barely,” Zuko slumped in his chair. “Azula went crazy and challenged an Agni Kai. Sadly I accepted,” he heard Iroh slapping his forehead. “It became a stalemate until Azula broke the rules of the Agni Kai,” he ran his hand through his hair. “She aimed the lightning at Katara. I jumped in front of the blast. Then everything went black. I don’t know what happened next.”

“What happened next was Katara became a war prisoner!” Aang growled.

“War prisoner?” Zuko said sounding quite confused. You mean war prize, he thought. He can’t be that delusional.

“We just received word from Master Piandao that Master Katara is a war prisoner,” Iroh said darkly. Zuko immediately took the hint that Aang did not know.

“So what now?” Zuko asked giving his uncle a glare. The old general and the council have a lot of explaining to do on why they are keeping Aang in the dark.

“I’m going to save her,” Aang simply replied. The council gasped at the news. Even Sokka, Suki, and Toph looked surprise.

“You can’t do that Twinkle Toes,” Toph said and crossed her arms. “You still have a lot of training to do.”

“Aang,” Sokka said. “You are forgetting that the Fire Lord wants to kill you. Going to save Katara is like saying ‘kill me’!”

“I’m the Avatar!” Aang shouted. “I should go save Katara! I’ve failed her!”

“The Avatar protects the world,” Pakku reminded. “He should not be attached to one person.”

“Seriously Twinkle Toes,” Toph said with annoyance. “Do you know your way around the Palace? There’s has to be at least a thousand secret passages in that place!”

“Two thousand Master Toph,” Iroh corrected. Zuko felt his hand slapping his forehead.

“Whatever,” Toph retorted. “What I’m trying to say is Sugar Queen could be anywhere.”

“Then who do you think should save Katara?” Aang snarled. “Or are you planning to leave her behind?”

If Hakoda have not held back Master Pakku, then the old man would be leaping over the table throttling the young monk. The old man glared at Aang as he sat down. Sokka and Suki muttered something under their breath. Before he had a chance to think things through, Zuko stood up and cleared his throat.

“I’ll go to Katara,” Zuko announced trying to sound regal. “I’m the one that ask her to come with me. I’m at fault for putting her in this situation.”

“No one is blaming you,” Hakoda said. He gave the boy a small smile.

“I’m blaming him!” Aang yelled. He pointed his finger at Zuko. “You put this idea in her head!”

“Are you accusing me of brainwashing?” Zuko spat. He could feel the smoke coming out of his hands. “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard!”

“Yes,” Aang stood up. “She should have listened to me instead of going on your field trip.”

“Field trip?” Hakoda asked.

“I’ll tell you later dad,” Sokka whispered.

“Listen to you?” Zuko roared. “She can make her own decisions!”

“Since she came back with you,” Aang whispered harshly. “She has been confused.”

The idea of roasting Aang where he stands quickly died out when it was mentioned that Katara was confused. All anger slowly went away as Zuko tried to process the information. He suddenly remembered that he was in a war room and he was acting like a child not an heir to a throne. Turning his eyes away from Aang, Zuko faced the Earth King.

“Please forgive me for disrespecting this conference your highness,” Zuko gave a low bow. “I shouldn’t let my temper get the best of me.”

“You are forgiven Prince Zuko,” the Earth King said being quite impressed by the youth. “Will you join us in planning the invasion?”

“No,” Zuko answered. “I should not be involved. In case I’ve been captured.”

“Capture?” the Earth King asked.

“Yes,” Zuko answered. His amber eyes stared directly at Aang. “I’m bringing back Master Katara. She saved my life and I need to do the same.”

“When are you leaving?” Jeong Jeong asked.

“Today.”

“Nephew,” Iroh pleaded. “You are still weak.”

“I’m not resting until Master Katara is returned to her family.”

“Leave in two days,” the Earth King suggested. “This should give you plenty of time to formulate a plan,” he turned to the Order of the White Lotus. “Would this give you enough time to contact your associates for help?”

“Yes,” Jeong Jeong answered. The rest of the group nodded their heads.

“Thank you,” Zuko bowed again. He slowly turned around and headed out of the room. He could feel Aang’s eyes drilling a hole in his back. Once he left the war room, murmuring erupted from the men.

“Spoken like a true ruler of the Fire Nation,” Hakoda said with admiration. Everyone nodded in agreement except for Aang.

“Spoken like a man that had his love taken away,” Bumi whispered to Jeong Jeong making sure that no one can hear them.

“And he is hell bent in getting her back,” Jeong Jeong replied in a low voice.

“Should be pretty exciting when he realizes that he loves her,” Bumi chuckled.