Forbidden | Avatar the Last Air Bender

Chapter 15: Alive

The gift of life

Katara's POV

Azula was quick and fast in making her decision - she shot Tasha down with lightning, causing us to all shoot our attacks towards her. Aang sent a stream of air towards her, Toph with a shot of rocks, Zuko with a whip of fire, and I with a shot of water from my water skin. But Azula was fast to react. She bended a fire ball which enclosed all our attacks from her. A large explosion occurred as a large plume of smoke from the explosion blocked out our visions.

Eventually as the dust cleared, Azula was gone, as expected from such a scheming girl.

"No!" Zuko shouted, running towards Tasha.

Immediately turning back to look at the lifeless body of Tasha, my heart ached as Aang, Toph and I ran over to see her. Zuko was crouching down beside her, tears clearly falling from his eyes.

There and then I felt so guilty about what happened the other day at the North Pole. I knew I shouldn't have did such a thing to Tasha; I really didn't hate her - I was just frustrated and jealous of her power. But now...

"Zuko, I can help." I managed to choke out in my state of confusion as tears welled up in my eyes.

"Leave us alone!" Zuko gritted his teeth and screamed at the three of us. I stumbled back in shock at his sudden outburst.

I really wanted to help - I could save her with my healing.

"I can heal her." I persisted. "Zuko, please."

"LEAVE!" Zuko flung a fire ball at the three of us, causing us to dodge instinctively.

Without saying another word, we ran away from the scene to find Appa and Sokka. I took one last fleeting glance at the lifeless body of my best friend.

Goodbye, my best friend. I said silently in my heart as I muttered a short prayer to the spirits to protect her.

Zuko's POV

Staring at the lifeless body of Tasha, tears flowed down on my cheek unknowingly. I stroked her cheek with caution, afraid that I would damage her already fragile state. Her breathing was shallow, and she looked as if she was fast asleep.

"Tasha... I'm sorry." I managed to say in between chokes, as my tears fell to her cheeks, shining in the hot afternoon sun. I grabbed her hand and held it tight, silently hoping that she would wake up and tell me that everything was going to be alright.

And at that moment, visions of Tasha flashed across my mind as I was reminded of our misadventures together, and all our small bickering as well as good times together. Unwillingly, I smiled as I recalled the memories.

"Please don't leave me." I managed to say, but I took back my words immediately and mentally slapped myself for the wrong choice of words. "I... mean... please... stay with me. I don't want to lose you."

Tears continued to flow down my cheeks as I held on to her hand tightly. She saved my life countless times - and right now, she risked her life just to fight the battle that was supposed to be mine.

I couldn't be more grateful to her.

As if she heard me, I felt Tasha's hand slowly tighten around my grip. I flipped my eyes wide open as I saw her eyes slowly opening up.

"I won't leave you that easily." She said, her voiced hoarse. She weakly smiled, trying to sit up.

Without another word said I grabbed her into a tight embrace, catching her off her feet.

"You don't know how much I was worried about you." I said with a trembling voice.

Whatever, I thought. I was a weakling who couldn't even protect someone I cared about deeply.

"Zuko." Tasha pulled away from the hug. I stared into her purple eyes that were shining in the setting sun.

"I didn't know you cared so much about me." She smiled slightly.

I felt my cheeks growing warmer as she said that. I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah. I... do... care about you."

Tasha's POV

"Y-Yeah. I... do... care about you." Zuko muttered, looking away with his ears turning as red as a tomato.

"Huh?" I felt my cheeks grow red in embarrassment, and I looked away from his gaze shyly.

Zuko has never been this expressive throughout the past few months of me knowing him, and it was weird how much emotion was pouring out of him.

"Thank goodness you're alright." Zuko held on to my hands tighter.

With my body aching as the electricity cleared from my body, I focused my attention back to where I felt the energy in my body accumulated at. I was grateful Azula only struck my leg. The energy flowed from the point of contact on my leg to the ground, saving me from a brutal death. That was probably how I could survive from such a lightning attack, I thought.

"Tasha?" Zuko called, causing me to snap out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I said weakly, my eyes turning to face the distance, as I saw the small fleeting image of the Avatar's sky bison flying in the clouds, away from this place.

"Thank you." Zuko smiled at me.

I let out a soft smile and embraced him in response.

"Hey Zuko?"

Zuko looked at me questioningly as I moved away from the hug.

"You should stop being so nice to me. I'll start to like you even more." I said bluntly, giggling slightly.

"I thought you have already accepted me as your friend?" He asked curiously. I mentally laughed at how stupid he looked as he asked that question. Zuko, how dense can you get about this.

"Like you as in, romantically."

Zuko stared at me open mouthed for a few moments, before looking away from my gaze.

"Sh-shut up." He muttered, and I could see a tint of red form in his cheeks.

"You should go and have some rest. We're setting up camp here for the night." Zuko stood up, changing the subject. Back to normal Zuko again, I thought.

"Oh? Someone's expecting me to stand up all by myself after being shot by lighting. Yeah- I can do all that." I remarked sarcastically, trying to stand up. I tried to stand using my left foot, but as soon as I was able to stabilise, a sharp pain shot though my left knee and I fell down.

Zuko caught me just in time before I fell again. Without saying another word, he held on to my waist, and wrapped his arms around my legs as he started carrying me princess style inside one of the abandoned houses nearby.

"We'll go and get some medicine for you tomorrow." Zuko placed me down gently.

"Thanks, Zuko." I said, glancing over to Zuko who was bringing the Ostrich Horse to stall outside of the old house that we were in.

Zuko kept silent, and looked away from my eye contact.

Something's up with him, I thought. He was so expressive just now but... now he's back to normal Zuko again. Did I really say something wrong?

Sighing, I looked away from the figure of Zuko and looked at my feet. I almost died - and somehow, thank my lucky spirits, that I could somehow survive a lightning attack.

Having Zuko care of me, at least for once... felt nice. In my heart, I felt a tinge of affection towards the man that I once hated with all of my guts.