Author's note- I thought Avatar kicked ass from Day 1 but found the series ending a bit too pat relationship wise, as if the writers/producers went the easy route- and yea, I know its a kids show so I was kind of expecting the ending anyway. I just don't really believe that there was any type of romantic relationship brewing between Katara and Aang at all in the series, (beyond the quite obvious "puppy love" Aang suffered through) or really saw much there between Mai and Zuko either.

OK, I get it- she had a crush on him from before his exile, but when Zuko returned home at the beginning of Season 3 I feel that they just got together because a) she was there and willing and b) he was confused by everything else going on in his life (betraying Iroh, worrying about his status, whether or not Aang was still alive, etc) and Mai offered a sort of "port in the storm" for him. More than anything, Zuko's outburst in "The Beach" I think illustrates his feelings about the entire situation and his relationship with Mai perfectly.

Katara and Zuko now- them I can see. Besides the romantic cliché of 'bad boy making good', there was a definite sense of sparks flying whenever the two of them would go at it. He was a challenge to her, in combat and personally. She challenged him to change and grow more than anyone except Iroh. Both possess fiery tempers, are passionate about life, are equally powerful benders, have a strong sense of duty and are fiercely protective towards their loved ones; and yet, they balance each other out and are able to work together almost flawlessly, trusting the other to support and aid them if needed.

So, this is the way I would've ended the series if I'd been the producers/head writer for Avatar. It picks up at Zuko's Agni Ki with Azula and goes from there. I've tried to stay fairly faithful to the actual story's time line where major events are concerned, but don't expect it to be 100% accurate- if only for the fact that this is not going to end with Katara + Aang becoming a couple :P

I hope you enjoy it however and feel free to review/flame- I need to keep my toes warm somehow. Rated M to be safe and all rights belong to Nickelodeon and the creators of Avatar, etc. This is my own work, so on and so forth.

Part I

Aftermath

Chapter 1

Sunset, Day of Sozin's Comet, Modern Era

He watched in horror even as he struggled futilely to go to Katara's aid as his crazy sister bore down on the water bender; her blue flames roaring out to engulf everything they touched. Even as Katara raised her arms to call water up from the aqueducts at her feet, he cried out in wordless warning as Azula attacked. Disbelief struck all of them as a sheet of ice encased the two girls, stymieing the Fire Princess's lethal attack.

Graceful as any sea creature, Zuko could barely make out Katara's shape in the ice as she moved around Azula. Zuko watched, praying silently that whatever the water-bender was doing it would hold when the ice finally fell. Azula was too strong despite her wild behavior to be contained in ice for long.

With a sudden move of her arm, Katara let the ice fall to reveal that the she'd bound the princess's hands to the grate with a loose length of chain.

Relieved, Zuko barely managed to roll onto his back before passing out.

Seconds or hours later, he woke at the touch of soothing hands that were busy calming the blazing pain that had become his world since he'd stepped between his sister and the water-bender. Opening his eyes, Zuko looked up into blue tear filled ones and was stunned at the sight of Katara- his fire lion fierce Katara- crying in relief even as she healed him from what should have been a killing blow.

Thank Agni I badgered Uncle into teaching me that trick.

"Thanks," He said softly, reaching up a hand, intending to touch Katara's face only to have it grabbed by the water bender and helped to his feet. " I think I should be thanking you," She replied quietly, looking away quickly. He opened his mouth to reply when a choked off scream drew his attention over to where he'd last seen his sister.

Azula was crazed. There was no other word for it. She'd seemed off to him, her usual composure missing, at the top of the stairs when she'd challenged him, but now- now she was completely gone. She wailed and sobbed in between screaming in rage and breathing blue flame out her mouth as she struggled at the chains binding her hands to the grate behind her. Sickened, he turned away, unable to look at her in the condition she'd been driven too.

That evening

It'd been a long afternoon.

Katara hadn't been sure what to expect from the Fire Sages after she and Zuko had taken care of Azula. From her previous run-in with them, she hadn't had her hopes up but the head Fire Sage had surprised her. He'd immediately ordered two of the other Sages to assist the Fire Prince to his bedchamber's where he could be tended too while the others stood guard over the fallen princess.

No one had objected to her accompanying Zuko into his room- not that she'd asked. After the shock that had ripped through her at seeing him stuck down by Azula, she wasn't in the mood to cater to Fire Nation sensibilities. If they had been surprised at her temerity, the Fire Sages had wisely kept it to themselves.

Of course, Zuko ordering them to obey her even as he passed out again probably had something to do with it.

Whether it was Zuko's orders or the Fire Sages needing someone to take charge- which was odd to Katara since they were the adults not her- Katara had soon found herself very busy trying to restore order to the Palace and trying to heal Zuko further. Zuko hadn't been able to predict if any of the Imperial Fire-Benders or the Fire Sages would support his claim to the throne; and she didn't like the idea of trusting that Zuko would be allowed to heal before arresting him for being the best of the Royal Family.

On finding out that Azula had dismissed all the palace servants and Imperial guards, Katara ordered the Sages to get everyone back, but that had taken time. Time where Katara found herself running about the Palace with the Head Sage putting out fires- literally as often as not- or trying to direct where the returning servants and guard where to go to be of the most use.

By the time the sun had set (with the comet still blazing away), most everyone had returned to the Palace and with Fire Sage Shyu's help, order had been as restored. Or, as best as it could be with one of the Royal Family seriously injured, one loony crazy and the rest either exiled or bent on world domination.

Exhausted, Katara grabbed a light meal of bread, cheese and cold meats from the kitchens, she returned to Zuko's bed to check on him. After he'd been brought to his quarters, she'd worked on his injury as much as she'd been able too but as had happened with Aang's lightning injury months ago- the body could only take so much healing before the healer risked doing still more injury to the patient. Zuko was strong and healthy, but Katara had been unwilling to risk healing him more without allowing his body time to recover on its own.

Between the repeated healing sessions and the exhausting task of herding sea penquins back into their proper places, Katara was worn out. She wasn't sure if she'd was even capable of bending a single drop of water in her defense if she had too. Nodding to the guards standing outside his door, she entered Zuko's room.

Placing the tray down on a side table, Katara approached Zuko's bed. He was lying half propped up on a pillow, still and pale with only the brief movement of his chest as he breathed. In sleep the powerful personality that had captured her attention from the very first seemed diminished somehow as he lay there in the middle of the bed's huge mattress.

Not wanting to disturb him, she gingerly sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over to touch his chest, intending only to check on his injury. At the feel of his skin under her hand, the control she'd managed to hold onto all evening shattered. Shaking, tears once again welling up in her eyes only to spill down her cheeks, Katara began to cry brokenly.