Hello everybody.
My first big story is finished and so I had the time to write down the last chapter for this little one as well. I have had a lot of fun with this little project. It was the first time, that I tried to deal with an (hopefully) not so obvious way to build up a story and to focus less on dialogues and more on sensations and emotions. The plan was to use some more winding ways, without loosing orientation and to maintain pushing an (in my case) interesting plot. And it was definitely the first try for me to build up some romance in a story, something which I have never tried before this one. I hope, it was fun to read. Thank you so much for all the views, favs, follows and a special thank you for Littlebrwk for the review. It was definitely the kind of feedback, I had hoped for, due to my intention I have mentioned for this story. You have helped me, to work on my own style.

In this chapter Azula has to face the consequences of her lack of control. And Aang as well. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this last chapter of this story.

Fresh Fire

She instantly regretted, that she woke up. She only had some fuzzy visions in her mind what has happened, but she felt so much pain. Less intense, than in her vision, but still heavy and far too real to deny, that her visions must have been reality. But she also felt, that someone was holding her hand. She turned her head to the side and she found Aang. He was sleeping on a chair. His head was resting at her side on the bed and he was still holding her hand, while he was sleeping. Azula started to cry, silently. The final thing she could remember was, that he has used his full power. He must have used it to help her. She stroke with her thumb over the back of his hand. A smile rushed over his face during his sleep.

"He's got almost killed, while he has tried to save you."

Zukos voice was the last thing, she had expected. Her eyes searched for him, but they wouldn't have found him, unless he stood up from a couch and walked to her bed. She tried to speak, but she was still to weak. Zuko shook his head and Azula could see the worries in his face.

"Save you breath. Just listen and let me talk."

He took place on the other side of her bed. Azulas eyes widened. This was her bed. Her bed in the Palace. This was her room. She started another try to ask a question, but Zuko just stroke her gently over her head to sooth her.

"Yes, you're back in your room. Katara and I have brought you and Aang back here with Appa. He was on the way to visit you, as your try to bend lightning went wrong. He has used his healing abilities to help you, but he was about to loose you. He has finally used his Avatar-state to heal you and to keep you alive until Katara and I have arrived. Katara has managed to do the rest. He has collapsed after this and was out for three days. We almost thought we have lost him, but he recovered."

Azula turned back to Aang and her tears were falling again. She had to recover soon, so that she could finally get some answers. And to say thank you. Zuko gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Sleep well, Azula. I'll look later after you again."

He was about to walk out of her room as he stopped and turned back to her.

"He has sacrificed almost everything for you, Azula. What he has done for you had cost him Katara. She had broke up with him, because he has continued helping you. I don't know how he had managed this. We all had given up hope for you. I had given up. You were so furious at my last visit, that I never tried it again."

Zuko gave her a warm smile and left the room.

The shock hit her again. In her whole life she has never found a person, who had done such a sacrifice for her. He would have sacrificed his life and he has sacrificed his relationship in order to help her. She felt the fire in Aang burning. And she started to believe, that it was burning for her. Cause she had to admit, that her fire was burning for him. It has started burning for him, at the day, as a Fire Sage has entered her gloomy cell. She was sure about her new role in life now. Her role was at his side. She managed to touch his cheek gently and Aang opened his eyes. She smiled at him and he smiled back with tears in his eyes. He stood up and bowed down to give her a hug, but she he placed her hand on his neck and pulled him down to press his lips on hers. His eyes widened for a moment but then he returned her kiss. He placed carefully his forehead on hers.

"I feared I had lost you. But I'm glad, that you proved us wrong."

Azula smiled at him. She could fell her fire burning brighter. She managed to whisper to him.

"Thank you, Aang."

Weeks had passed and Azula was still weak on her own feet, but she made progress. Aang was permanently at her side. He observed her progress, he aided her, when necessary, he reminded her to have patiences, when she was to eager and he took her returning edgy mood with a warm smile. And she loved him for this. She hadn't talked about his visits until one evening, after a long and exhausting day. Katara had checked her healing. To her surprise were Aang and Katara still friends. Every time, the waterbender hugged Aang to say goodbye it was a painful sting in her heart, but she had recognized the angry flicker in the blue eyes of the girl, when Azula kissed him. This fact and the truth, that she has saved her life too, had convinced Azula to call it even. Maybe it was also helpful, that the waterbender seemed to be closer to her brother during the last days. She would bet her new regained life, that Zuzu hadn't any clue, how Katara was watching him. She chuckled for herself, while she was rolling these ideas in her mind. This held up the opportunities for many interesting days. Azula decided, that he needed some hints from her. She still didn't like Katara but she was sure, that both might give a good match. Aang had taken seat on her bed and she had laid down beside him and placed her head on his lap. He gently stroke her hair and she could feel his warming and comforting fire burning.

"I understand it now."

She hasn't watched him in the eyes. She has stretched out one of her arms and has lighted a little blue flame in it. She let the burning blue ball dancing over her fingers, like someone would have done so with a coin. Aang smiled warm and continued stroking her dark hair.

"I know."

Azula kept watching her flame.

"How did you know, that my fire was dying?"

Aangs smile faded. He focused on Azulas flame and the shine of it reflected in his eyes.

"Do you remember our fight in Ba Sing Se?"

Azula jerked a bit at this quote. Of cause she did. This memory had nearly killed her. And it hurt her even more today, to know, how she had felt, back in these days, when the lightning had hit him. But she hasn't to answer. Aang kissed her gently on her forehead.

"Sorry, of cause you do."

He took a breath before he continued.

"I'm not sure, but I think this lightning has somehow… connected our spirits and souls."

Azula turned her head and watched him with a questioning look. But Aang didn't seem to recognize this. His own look was still focused on her burning flame.

"From this day on I could feel you. Not permanently, and mostly, when I was dreaming, but after the war has ended, I started to focus on these feelings."

Pain rushed over his face and Azula felt her chest tightened.

"And these feelings were full of pain and fear. All the feelings, you were forced to ignore and you were forced to push aside. I saw visions of your childhood, of your fights and of your days in these cell and I felt your pain. If I think back, I have felt this pain right at the moment your lightning has hit me. It was overwhelming, but it was also something, my spirit could get a grip on."

He had tears in his eyes but he smiled at her.

"Without this pain, I think my spirit would have been gone. I would have died and Katara couldn't have saved me."

He kissed her, as also Azula got watered eyes.

"Some things might have a deeper reason in life. Without your pain, I would be dead. How could I have let you down, when you have suffered all these pains for me? And even not? How could I have give you up without loosing myself and the person who I want to be?"

Azula sobbed and snuggled closer to Aang. Both watched her flame burning quite and steady for a while.

"And so you decided to show me my fire again. You showed me the sides, father has tried to hide away from me."

Aang lighted also a blue flame in his hand. He brought the flame close to Azulas. The color of his flame was a bit deeper, than hers, but it burned as quite and steady as her fire now.

"Yes. Like emotions fuels your fire could a fire also fuels your emotions. And I have never met a person before, who loved her fire so much, like you do."

He focused on his breathing and matched his breath with hers. Then he brought his hand with the flame in contact with Azulas hand and both flames floated together as one. Like in the cell this new flame shined in all colors of the rainbow and the shining light filled the room. But this time it was a controlled fire, burning bright but save and strong.

"Katara broke up with you, before the trainings day with me?"

It was a touchy question, but Azula had to know. A shadow rushed over his face. Azula took her other hand and pulled his head down to give him another kiss. He smiled again as their lips parted.

"She was the only person, who knew, what I tried to do. I had no secrets before her about this. She had finally ended the relationship after my third visit. It was too much for her to carry. After that it was harder for me to get up every day. But your progress has helped me to go on."

Now Azulas face was darkened by a shadow. She remembered her provocation at the training. He had sacrificed his love to help her and she had made him believe, that he had thrown away this love for nothing. But he guessed her thought.

"No need to be sorry. Your healing wasn't finished at this point. And I knew, that you would press some of these buttons sooner or later."

Her eyes watered again. She had understand, how he could find this strength, but it was still astonishing for her. What he had given up for her to help her. What he had risked to save her. She took a look to the bright colorful flame in their hands and then back to him. She smiled warm at him. She could feel their fire burning for each other. A fire, more beautiful than everything she had ever seen.

"Do you now know, how strong you really are?"

He lend down for another kiss. Azula felt their hearts beating.

"Thanks to you, yes I do now."