Y/n POV
I felt the heat of an explosion, and then nothing. My body felt light, and my mind clear.
"Y/n...?" I heard a voice say. I looked around and saw my mother, appearing to me just like she looked all those years ago.
"Mother...do I finally get to join you?" I asked softly. She smiled at me but shook her head.
"I'm sorry, my darling. But there's still people who need you in the other world. You can't give in, just yet. Go back to them. To your friends, your father, and that Water Tribe boy, you love so much," she said with a giggle.
It all came back to me then.
Right, I'm not finished yet...
I opened my eyes and realized I was under water. I propelled myself up to the surface, inhaling deeply. I realized it hurt to inhale, and upon touching my neck I realized there was a burn there. I'll handle that later...
Once I was under the light of the comet, I felt it's power enriching me. I took another deep breath and blasted myself up into the sky with fire. I looked around and saw Toph barely hanging on to Sokka, the two of them trapped by soldiers. I also saw a ship tilting towards them, and I figured that would work.
I flew over quickly and shot fire at the soldiers, dispersing them, and when the ship t-boned where Sokka and Toph were, I was there to catch them and gently set them down.
"Y/n!" Toph shouted and she hugged me tightly. I groaned and heard a similar groan from Sokka. I knelt down by him and realized his leg was broken, but he didn't seem to mind. He quickly wrapped his arms around me.
"Y/n...you do always come back," he mumbled and I could feel him holding in tears. I was doing the same. I pulled back and kissed his lips, before throwing his arm around my shoulder.
"Always, Sokka. Now let's get out of here," I said and he nodded. We managed to make it inside a ship, Toph and I managing to keep any soldiers away. We made it inside the control room and I leaned Sokka against a wall while I took the wheel.
After a moment, the sky was lit up by a bright blue light and a red light.
"What is that?" Sokka asked. I noticed when the blue light overtook the red light and illuminated everything. I smiled.
"It's Aang. Way to go, Avatar," I said. The sea water rose to extinguish all the fires caused by the Fire Nation fleet, and then lowered to reveal the rocks underneath. I guided the ship down to the rocks and there we met up with Aang.
Sokka congratulated Aang by re-enacting his battle a bit more theatrically. It's almost like his leg isn't broken...
I walked over to Fire Lord Ozai, looking at his slumped body.
"So, did you...you know...end it?" I asked Aang. Ozai lifted his head and glared at me.
"I'm still alive," he growled. I raised my hands up and backed away slowly.
"I learned there was another way to defeat him and restore balance. I took his bending away," Aang told us.
"Wow, who taught you that?" Toph asked him.
"A giant lion-turtle," Aang said nonchalantly. I gasped in surprise and chuckled.
"Boy, have we got a lot of notes to compare," I said. Sokka hopped over to me, leaning on me for support but bending down to taunt Ozai.
"Well, look at you, buster. Now that your firebending is gone, I guess we should call you the 'Loser Lord'," Sokka jabbed. Ozai struggled to sit up.
"I am the Phoenix King," he said with faux pride before fainting.
"Oh sorry. Didn't mean to offend you Phoenix King of getting his butt-whooped," Toph joked.
"You can't be a Phoenix if you don't rise from the ashes. Come on, then, rise," I taunted and Ozai only drooled in response. Everyone, looked at me in surprise. "Sorry, I think I've been holding on to some animosity for a while," I said laughing nervously. Sokka laughed and kissed my cheek.
"Wow, I love you, Y/n."
Later that day...
We were able to get the airship back to the Fire Nation. First things first, we needed medical attention. Sokka definitely broke his leg, and I had several burns all over me. They weren't bad, second degree at the worst, and the most severe was on my leg where the explosion went off.
"Sokka, Y/n!" Katara yelled as she and Zuko came into the makeshift infirmary. Understandably, Katara went straight for her brother, leaving Zuko to come over to me. I bowed my head.
"How's it going, Fire Lord Zuko?" I said and he smiled.
"You know, for once, it's going well. I have a surprise for you. I know you probably couldn't go get your dad in your condition, so I brought him here," he said and I gasped. The flap to the infirmary opened and there stood my father. He rushed over to hug me.
"My precious daughter," he whispered, holding me tightly. I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face, and I held my father just as tightly. He pulled back and stared at me deeply. "I'm so sorry, Y/n, for everything," he said and I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Stop apologizing, Dad. We're together again and that's all that matters," I told him and he nodded.
We went over everything that happened with each other and discussed how we were going to move forward. We agreed, we'd have to go back to the Fire Nation palace and formally instal Zuko as Fire Lord, then we'd rest before starting the reconstruction period.
It's been a wild ride. But there's still some things I need to take care of...
A few days later...
Sokka POV
Zuko's coronation was a muted event, mostly a get together of everyone who helped us during the war to announce the war was over. Katara and I got to meet up with my dad, and then we met up with General Yaika and Y/n.
Y/n kissed my cheek, hugged Katara, and bowed to my dad, who pulled her into a hug. Y/n laughed before turning to her father, introducing him.
"This is my father, Akiro Yaika. Dad, this is Sokka's father, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe," she said. The two men stared at each other before shaking hands and grinning.
"You've raised a fine son, Chief Hakoda," Y/n's father said. My dad nodded and gestured to Y/n.
"And for however long you could, you raised an excellent young lady," he said and Y/n's father teared up.
The gong rang and Zuko and Aang appeared on the balcony. Everyone was cheering like crazy. Zuko promised to rebuild the world with the help of the Avatar, and then he was crowned as Fire Lord. I noticed Y/n smiling brightly and I realized how proud she must've been.
After the ceremony, the Gaang travelled back to Ba Sing Se for a little after party at Iroh's tea shop. Everyone sat around the room in comfort, playing games and relaxing. Wait, I've got an idea.
I got out some paper and paint and started making a mural of everyone, happy and together. Except Zuko keeps moving!
"Zuko, stop moving! I'm trying to capture the moment! I wanted to do a painting, so we'd always remember the good times together," I explained and Katara and Y/n walked over.
"That's very thoughtful of you, Sokka," Katara said, and then she knelt down to me. "Wait, why did you give me Momo's ears?" She asked and I looked closer.
"Those are your hair loopies," I said, as if it wasn't obvious. Zuko and the others came over and started scrutinizing my work too.
"At least you don't look like a borcupine. My hair is not that spiky," he huffed.
"I look like a man," Mai said.
"And why did you draw me earthbending? I have two elements you could've picked from," Y/n said, and I shrugged.
"I thought it looked more exciting that way," I reasoned and she giggled. Jeez, I'll never get tired of that sound. The others went back to what they were doing, but Y/n stayed by my side. She moved to sit on my lap and kissed me.
"Fair enough. It's a good drawing Sokka," she said sweetly and I kissed her back.
"Thank you. I love you, Y/n," I told her and she laid her head on top of mine.
"I love you too, Sokka."
~|~
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