No Time To...

One step closer

"Suki! Sokka!" Zuko called as he raced after his sister as she slammed her body into a door to open it to the outdoors. Suki was faster than both the boys as she tackled Azula to the ground and pinned her with ease. Azula roared with flames past her lips and tore Suki off her, grabbing the red head and lifted her fist of flames.

Zuko ripped her off of his friend and pushed her lit hand behind her back and kept it tight against her body, threatening to break her arm.

"Give up! You're done!" Zuko barked. Azula threw her head back to slam into his face and Zuko couldn't help but let go of her.

He groaned at the blood running down his nose, not sure if it was broken. He looked up with a glare seeing her ready to shoot lightening at him or the others. Zuko couldn't help but look behind Azula seeing ty Lee sneaking over.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Azula snarled like a rabid animal, her body was shaking and her eyes couldn't land on a single person, she looked crazed and scared.

"Please, just stop, I don't want to hurt you," Zuko put his hand out breathing heavy. Sokka helped his girlfriend as she was holding her neck wide eyes from where Azula grabbed.

"You just want to throw me in a cell to rot!" Azula yelled with her two fingers out and shoulders apart.

"I want to help you," Zuko told her.

"I'm going to kill you," lightening crackled in her finger tips.

"Ty Lee now!" Zuko got ready to redirect again.

Azula shot once again but a breath was stolen from her when a few punches hit her back and made her collapse while lightening left her fingertips. Zuko easily caught and aimed it at the sky with thunder following.

They watched Azula fall to the ground as ty Lee stood behind her.

While they heard the palace behind them crumbling.

"Yea you got her!" Aang and mai ran out of the door as Aang bounce happily. Zuko didn't respond as he walked over with mai to tie Azula with her hands behind her back.

"Where's kat and Toph?" Zuko asked calmly.

"They're right behind us," mai told him quietly, she looked at Azula with remorse a little, pity.

But the palace started to fall as the walls collapsed inward as the earth shook under them. But no one was leaving the palace. No dai lee. No Katara no Toph.

"Aang can you stop it? Can you make a path? They're still in there," Ty Lees eyes widen as she grabbed the avatars shoulder. He was the only other earth bender.

"No, no no no no, my sisters still in there, why is is collapsing? Where is she?!" Sokkas eyes stared as dust covered the rubble but the earth kingdoms palace... it has fallen.

"Katara?" Zuko whispered.

"Toph!" He started to move towards the crumbled palace.

"KATARA!" Zuko shrieked running into the dust as he climbed over the rubble.

"Toph! Katara!" Suki yelled running after him as ty Lee stayed back with Azula. Mai gulped staying with her childhood friends.

Sokka was frozen. He couldn't move without feeling like he was going to throw up as he heard his friend and his girlfriend yelling his baby sisters name. If he moved he would have to look for her, he would have to find her. But what if he couldn't find her...

Tears fell down his face as he dropped to his hands and knees, hiccuping a sob as he felt a scream reach past his lips of terror and he pain. Not again, he couldn't fail his family again.

"Katara! Katara!" Zuko called running over rubble.

"Toph! Toph come on!" He spun around looking for any movement in the cloud of dust.

"Guys! Katara! Toph!" Zuko yelled as Suki started to dig through gravel.

"Aang! Aang we need you to move the pieces!" Suki yelled back with tears down her face as well.

"Can you feel anything moving?" Zuko asked with a shaky voice.

Aang gulped as he closed his eyes and placed his hands on the rubble they stood on trying to feel throughout under them. His eyes snapped open.

"Over there!" Aang ran ahead as Zuko was right behind him.

Aang bender the earth and started to make a path trying to find the two women.

"Toph! Toph can you hear us?!" Zuko yelled.

"Please!" He begged.

And finally the rubble moved ahead of them and rocks fell. Aang didn't hesitate to lift the rocks and what was left of the palace up and tossed it to the side.

Finding the two master benders.

Katara had herself over tophs body as she was unconscious while tophs free arm dropped from bending what she could. Zuko sprinted to them as Aang cleared a path for them to the land again.

"Holy shit, spirits, guys talk to me," Zuko slid to his knees to them.

"Aang! Suki! Go get the others! They're hurt!" Zuko screamed back, seeing blood.

He pulled Katara off and she cried out in pain, he looked down seeing her leg twisted as Toph was coughing laying on her side.

"Hey hey, I got you, I got you, open your eyes kat," Zuko pushed her hair out of her face seeing if she had any other injuries that were lift threatening. She had blood running down the side of her face as she was limp in his arms.

Zuko heard the others running up and set her down gently to see if Toph was hurt.

"Get her to appa," Zuko looked back as Sokka had a relieved cry pulling his sister into his arms and buried his face in her hair crying softly.

"Toph, hey, hey you with me?" Zuko pulled the blind girl in his arms as she groaned.

"I'm alive?" She mumbled resting her head against his chest.

"Yea, your still alive," Zuko smiled relieved for the youngest of their friend to be with them.

"Azula?" Toph coughed.

"We got her too, we're okay, your okay," Zuko kissed the top of her head kindly and Toph smile closing her eyes.

"Katara?" She whispered.

"She's breathing," Sokka told them as he picked Katara up bridal style to get back.

"Man, what a battle," Toph sighed as Zuko picked her up as well. She rested her weight against his chest and relaxed knowing it was over.

"Just stay awake a little longer okay?" Zuko whispered. She nodded keeping her blind eyes open.

"I get to go to those kids birthday party now at least," Toph smiled as they all walked back to the others and their captive.

"That's what your thinking about now?" Zuko questioned her and she chuckled softly.

But they did it, they were one step closer to victory in this war.