The Thief And The Healer

Episode 16: In Need of a Good Plan

It was an hour before enough Agni Kai's had left the area for Zuko to crawl out of the gutter he'd been hiding in. He hoped enough of the Villagers had gotten away before he'd been so embarrassingly taken down. He had bigger things to worry about now.

The Painted Lady was in the custody of Phoenix Industries. Also...he'd fallen from a two story building onto the concrete after being stabbed with a knife.

He'd had better days.

Drops of blood dripped from his side as he rode his bike home, barely keeping it upright. It was too much effort to lock it up like he usually did, so he left it leaning against the tea shop's back wall before staggering up the stairs. He was happy to find Sokka alone in their apartment, up late playing video games. He was in full gamer mode: headphones on, packaged snacks piled on the table, and the TV the only source of light.

"Hey man, grab a controller and help me. I can't get past the fifteenth level."

His final energy spent, Zuko slumped to the floor.

"Zuko!"

He groaned when the lights came on, then Sokka turned him over onto his back on the floor.

"What happened to you?" Sokka demanded. "I'll call Katara."

Zuko grabbed his wrist before he could get up. "Don't," he rasped.

"What do you mean 'don't'?" Sokka demanded. "You're bleeding all over the carpet!"

"I don't want her to see me like this." Reaching back, he pulled the mask out of his bag.

Sokka recoiled from the sight. "What is-? Why do you have a Blue Spirit mask?"

"I'll explain everything," Zuko said, "but first, I need your help."

It was a slow process, explaining to Sokka what to do and how to do it. Even boiling water seemed like a chore.

"Turn it until you hear the click. The click, Sokka. Now you have to wait until the gas disperses. Agni, have you never turned on the stove?"

Sokka's voice was exasperated, "Is it the same when you boil water?"

"Why would it be different when you're boiling- Don't answer that." Zuko breathed deeply in and out. "Just pass me the wrappings, will you? I'll need you to tie me off in a sec."

"I don't understand why we can't just call Katara," Sokka said, finally getting the fire started under the kettle.

"We went over this." Zuko continued wrapping the cloth tight around his bruised ribs. "I don't want her to know I'm the Blue Spirit."

"I don't want to know either!" Sokka exclaimed. "And yet here we are: you, the Blue Spirit. Me, knowing you're the Blue Spirit."

"It was unavoidable because-" Zuko breathed deep. "Your father's in danger. I need your help."

Sokka's blue eyes turned icy. The look had an uncanny resemblance to his sister in fury. The thought almost made Zuko smile.

"What happened with my father?" Sokka asked. His voice had changed. It was his serious tone, one that Zuko didn't hear often.

"You know how he owes money to the industry?" Zuko finished wrapping his ribs and ripped the gauze with his teeth. "I think it has something to do with that."

"But why would that put him in danger?" Sokka crossed his arms as he leaned back against the counter.

"I think they got fed up waiting for him to pay it back." Zuko shrugged. "Last night his name came up in the bounty database."