After the war

Justice demanded

"What does the letter say?" Sokka looked up at the sound of Iroh's voice and saw the old General and Ursa entering the room.

"We have three days to get Zuko to testify in Ba Sing Se" Aang started to explain.

"Maybe the Avatar, or Iroh could go in his stead, he isn't even awake yet" Ursa protested but she knew her pleas fell on deaf ears when she looked at the fallen faces of the children standing before her.

"You have three days to arrive in Ba Sing Se to testify and gain custody of General Fong. The trial can only conclude when the Firelord is present or the time period runs out" Katara read aloud having picked the letter up off the floor.

"It has to be Zuko" Iroh's eyes travelled to the still, lifeless body of his nephew.

The group was snapped out of their musings at the sound of a low groan coming from Zuko's bed.

The room was quiet. So quiet that Zuko making pained sounds and straining to speak was clearly audible and the group turned to face the bed. It was unmistakable, Zuko had made a sound! A small sound, but it was better than nothing and it proved that he was beginning to wake!

"S-sok-" Sokka took his boyfriend's hand in his and sat on the side of the bed next to the firebender.

"I'm here, Hotshot"

"Sokka" Zuko screamed out, lurching into a sitting position and immediately groaning and crying out in pain as he felt a hot stabbing sensation shoot up his right side. His face contorted into an expression of agony and he curled in on himself, clutching his wound in a desperate bid to ease the pain.

"Someone bring me Milk of The Poppy!" Katara ordered the healers and physicians who had swarmed to the Firelord's side. She turned her attention back to Zuko as the healers ran to obey her order.

"It's me, Hotshot, I'm here, forever and always, remember" Sokka whispered as he wrapped his arms around Zuko to still the writhing, screaming firebender. He looked up at Ursa who had gone to Zuko's right side to also wrap her arms around him. Sokka felt his boyfriend's left hand move to clutch at his shoulder and he heard the Firelord softly weeping into the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry..." whatever Zuko was trying to say was broken up by his voice cracking and a heaving breath shook his frame.

"Sorry for what?" Sokka laughed through bleary tear filled eyes.

"I shouldn't, I left you, I-"

"Shh, rest now my beautiful turtleduck, you're safe now! Your fight is over!" Ursa soothed her son as she guided his knotted hair through her fingers. Sokka made a mental note to make Zuko's hair look pretty later.

Zuko wept softly into the crook of Sokka's neck, and his right hand travelled up to his mother's shoulder and he gripped both of them as if it were the last moment he could hold them. He felt like a pathetic child, crying on his boyfriend's shoulder and clinging on to his mother, but he couldn't care less! All that mattered was he was alive and he hadn't left his loved ones behind.

Zuko could feel his body racked by shaking sobs and he closed his fingers tighter around Sokka and Ursa's clothes. He could feel his mother's hands running through his hair, untangling the knots and smoothing it out. Though that wasn't enough to calm him this time.

"Sound the bugle now

Play it just for me" Zuko's heaving breaths paused and slowed as he heard Sokka's voice.

"I'm a soldier wounded

So I must give up the fight" Katara's voice joined Sokka's as they sang an old Water Tribe song, something thought to be lost to time, but found in the memory of Avatar Kuruk. Sokka had been singing the song to Zuko every day he had been unconscious.