The Thief And The Healer

Episode 30: Destiny in Motion

A/N: Sorry for the wait!! This is the last chapter but I'm planning to add an epilogue and possibly some "writer's cut" scenes that didn't make it into the final version. There's still a lot of editing to do but for now...ENJOY!!~

"NO!" Katara yelled. Throwing the water aside she pinched his nose and breathed into his open mouth. His chest expanded with her air.

"One, two, three, four..." she counted her compressions.

"...twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty."

Breathe.

Breathe.

"One, two, three, four..."

This went on for two minutes, her counting the only sound in the silence. Where was Sokka? Her muscles burned from her efforts, her shoulders ached. Fighting with Azula had taken everything she'd had and then some. Pure stubbornness kept her going. She would not fail. She would not yield.

It's not weakness to need someone.

Hot tears fell down her face, down her arms, and melted into the fabric of his torn shirt.

It's okay to ask for help, Katara.

Her arms gave out. A pleading gasp broke from her throat and she faced the sky.

"Help!" She screamed, weakly cradling Zuko against her body. "Somebody, please! HELP!"

There was a scuffle to the right and Katara gripped him closer but relaxed when she saw it was an ally.

"Katara!" Sokka ran over and slid to a stop next to them, his face pale. "Is that...?"

"He's...I need..." she kept choking on her words. It was as though he had taken her breath with him.

Sokka fell to his knees beside her. "Can't you heal him with your magic water?"

She didn't bother to correct him. "I tried," she said. "But he's not-" She stopped when she saw Zuko's eyelids flutter and his chest expand with a deep breath.

"Zuko?" she asked, brushing his hair away from his face. His eyes opened and Katara sobbed with relief. "Stay with me," she pleaded, her tears still falling in full force. His hand rose to cup her face, his fingers weak as they brushed against her skin. Katara tilted to press her cheek farther into his palm. Zuko's eyes shuttered and then rolled into the back of his head as his hand fell and he passed out again.

"No!" she pleaded.

"Katara," Sokka said quietly. She looked at him.

"We need to move him," he said, kneeling beside her. "Suki's called an ambulance."

Looking towards the entrance, Katara saw Suki in the same doorway she had stood in as the Painted Lady a mere hour before. The police officer was on the phone, the flashing lights of fire trucks behind her.

She felt Zuko shifting and gripped him tighter only to find it was Sokka attempting to help get him up.

"We have to get him to people who can help," Sokka said. "Do you understand?"

"I want to...I want to stay with him," she said.

"And you will," assured Sokka, "I'll make sure of it. Just rest now. I'll take care of everything."

Katara felt the adrenaline of the fight wear off at Sokka's words. Somebody else was taking care of it. Someone was going to make sure they were safe. Katara could rest.

"Ok," she said. "Don't let them-"

"I won't." Sokka's voice was fading as she laid down against Zuko's side and blacked out.