Chapter Text
Katara's rendered speechless as Zuko charges into the fight; first in surprise, that he didn't take his uncle and leave. Then in horror and fury as he turns his fire against her.
She doesn't have time to dwell on it, throwing a wall of ice that the flames don't have time to melt through before it collides with the firebender. He sprawls on the ground, winded, and even has the nerve to look upset for a moment. Then he's back on his feet, turning another attack on her, while his sister shoots jets of flame to propel herself at Aang.
Oh, bring it on, Katara thinks, engulfing Zuko in another wave of water.
She has had enough of firebenders.
*
"You have to go!" Mushi shouts, when Jet's attempts to chip away the rock all fail. "I will be fine. You have to leave now!"
But Jet ignores him, because when has trusting a firebender ever worked out for him? He runs to the edge of the catacomb and stands, fixed to the spot, watching Zuko charge at Katara with flame trailing from his hands; firebending. Even already having seen it, it's hard to believe his own eyes.
In Jet's anger and confusion, it takes longer than it should to realize what's wrong about the picture; the girl — Zuko's sister, Jet has to assume, which brings up implications he doesn't want to think about regarding Zuko's heritage — attacks precisely, with deadly accuracy, shooting bolts of blue flame that Aang barely manages to deflect. Zuko, by comparison, sends his fireballs wide, most of them blinking out into sparks before they even reach Katara.
He isn't trying. Why?
"Trust me," Zuko had said, and then rushed off to attack Aang and Katara, only he's not, and Jet's even more confused. But there isn't time for confusion — he has to act, and fast.
His swords are off his back in a clean motion, and he charges into the fight, breaking between Katara and the firebender. Katara shoots him a look as he approaches, but soon syncs her attacks with his, able to deal twice as many blows now that she has someone to watch her back. He refuses to look at Zuko's face, not wanting to see what lies there.
It's strenuous. It's exhausting. But it's buying time, for Aang to finish off his opponent, for Mushi to break out of the Dai Li's hold, get his ass out here and help, because no way is the old man going to let Zuko leave with that girl.
And then he sees the lightning — Aang, suspended midair in an unearthly glow, the bolt striking him before he can return to the ground.
Beside Jet, Katara freezes in shock, a wordless cry breaking from her as she races toward Aang, fight with Zuko forgotten. When Jet steals a look at the firebender, he's motionless, fists dropped, just...staring, open-mouthed, as his sister collects herself and strolls off to where her Dai Li agents stand waiting at the entrance of the cavern — Zuko's uncle among them.
"Are you coming, brother?" she calls over her shoulder.
Zuko sets his jaw, looks at Jet for a long moment. His face is unreadable, infuriating. Jet watches him, waiting.
The firebender turns, and runs after his sister.
"Jet, come on, we have to go!" Sokka shouts, pulling his arm. He follows, numbly, climbing on Appa's back with the others, and they speed out of thr cavern in record time.
Katara is deadly silent as she clings to Aang — looking too still and small, the edges of his robes singed and frayed. He looks like every other dead kid Jet's ever seen, nothing like the savior of anyone. Katara fumbles with a vial tied around her neck with shaky hands, a single-minded focus in her expression despite the panic in her reddened eyes.
"Are we leaving Ba Sing Se?" he hears Toph ask, just over a whisper.
"We have to get Kuei," Sokka replies, sounding like he wants nothing less. "We'll meet up with my dad. He'll know what to do. It's not safe here anymore."
It never has been, Jet thinks, looking back as they rise clear of the tunnel; he can just make out the tiny figures of Dai Li agents leaving another tunnel. At their front, Zuko and his sister. At their back, Zuko's uncle, hands shackled behind him.
He's probably just imagining that Zuko looks up. He quashes down that hopeful feeling, replaces it with the anger he knows so well. Li, and any feelings Jet may or may not have had for him, died in that catacomb when Zuko made his choice.
He tears his gaze away, looking toward their destination. There are blue sails on the horizon, which must be where they're headed.
Time to put Ba Sing Se behind them for good.
*
"We've done it, Zuko," Azula says, basking in the Earth King's oversized throne. Zuko's stomach turns as he thinks of what it took to get her there. "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se."
Zuko avoids her searching gaze. "I betrayed Uncle." More than that, he thinks. He saw the Avatar fall, the waterbender running to catch him. He didn't see Jet's face when he turned to follow Azula. He doesn't know what would be worse — to see hurt in the other boy's eyes, or nothing at all.
"No, he betrayed you. And as for that peasant, well, it wouldn't have worked out anyway, would it?" She stands up, facing him. "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."
He swallows. Remembers the plan. Puts on the right face to play the part. "But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?"
Azula smiles faintly. "He doesn't need to, Zuko." She puts a hand on Zuko's shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "Today, you restored your own honor."
Zuko looks away, the feeling in his gut telling him the exact opposite is true.