Aang slowly stands up, still fight Vaatu, and airbends around him to push back the Red Lotus. He falls to his knees again before struggling to stand.

Ming-Hua sends an ice shard to Aang, who destroys it with airbending by pushing it to a wall. He almost falls again, but catches himself and sends an air swipe to Zaheer, followed by Ming-Hua. Zaheer dodged the attack, but Ming-Hua was caught off-guard and slammed against a wall, losing her water appendages in the meantime.

Ghazan erupts lava toward Aang, who directs the lava flow with airbending back to Ghazan, causing him to retreat to avoid the lava.

Aang falls to his knees once again and breathes heavily. He attempts to stand again, but finds it difficult, so he bends the air around him to push all his opponents away from him.

Katara, Sokka, Korra, Bolin and Mako enter the cave.

"Aang!" Katara exclaims as he attempts to send another air attack to his opponents, "We have to help him."

Bolin creates a wall around Aang to protect him as Katara runs up to him.

"Aang." Katara says as she gets on her knees in front of him.

"Katara? You're alive." Aang said with a weak smile.

Katara holds his face in her hands, "Yes, I'm okay."

"I don't know if I can fight him, Katara. He's too strong."

"You're stronger than him." Katara says as she rests her forehead on his, "You can fight him. I believe in you."

While their conversation was going on, Korra attempted to enter the Avatar State but her eyes didn't glow even a little.

"What's going on?" Korra asked.

"I'm not knowledgeable in Avatar things at all, but maybe with Vaatu being in Aang right now, your Avatar abilities may have been blocked." Sokka replied, "If Aang doesn't succeed in fighting Vaatu, you're not going to be the Avatar because he'll live forever."

"Let's hope Katara can help Aang." Korra says, "But until then, let's kick some butt."

Sokka, Korra and the two brothers run to Zhao and the Red Lotus to keep them from attacking Aang and Katara.

Meanwhile, the airbenders and the rest of the team makes it to the surface.

"Daddy!" Ikki exclaims as her and her siblings run up to Tenzin.

Tenzin hugs his children, "Oh, thank goodness you're all right."

"Honey, are you okay?" Pema asks as she walks up to him.

"I'll be fine."

The airbenders walk out of the cave, placing Kya and Bumi onto the ground.

------

In the caves, Mako firebends to Ming-Hua, who dodges the attacks and swings out of view. Mako chases her while his brother engages Ghazan.

Bolin sends two rocks at Ghazan, who blocks the attack before using his wall against Bolin. Bolin smashes the attack, but Ghazan hides behind the wall and catches him. Bolin regains his ground and throws Ghazan away, who retaliates with two rocks. Bolin dodges the attacks, and smashes a rock.

"What are you smiling about?" Bolin asks.

"I was just remembering the last time we fought." Ghazan replies and directs lava to Bolin.

Bolin stops the lava flow, "Well, a lot has changed since then."

Bolin directs the lava back to Ghazan, who dodges the attacks. Bolin winks smugly.

"So that's how you got out of the temple. Not bad. Let's see what you got!" Ghazan sends multiple lava sprays toward Bolin.

Sokka engages Zhao, his space sword unsheathed, "Zhao, didn't you get your butt kicked by the ocean spirit at the Northern Water Tribe?"

"That was in the past. Times have changed." Zhao replies.

"Of course you're gonna talk all time like now that you're a timebender. All you bad guys can get so annoying sometimes."

Zhao glares at him and firebends an attack at the warrior. Sokka dodged the attack and charged at the firebender.

Meanwhile, Korra discovered she could still waterbend and attacked Zaheer. He dodged the attack and airbended at her.

Korra dodged the attack and sent a water wip at him. Zaheer used airbending to slice the water wip, making the water fall to the ground.

"You're still gonna fight me without your Avatar abilities?"

"As long as I'm breathing, I'll continue to fight."

"That is something I can work with."

Korra dodges an air attack Zaheer sent to her.

-----

"Come on, Aang. Fight him." Katara said, urging Aang.

"Katara... if I don't make it-"

"Don't say that! You can win this!"

"I want you to know... that I love you so much. I've dreamed of starting a family with you so many times. Back... in our own time... my sixteenth birthday was coming up. According to Water Tribe laws... I'd be old enough to get married."

Tears formed in Katara's eyes, "Aang..."

"I... I made a betrothal necklace. I was gonna propose to you... on my birthday."

"Aang, you're gonna defeat Vaatu! We're going to make it out of here!" Katara said desperately trying to encourage him as her tears fell, "We're gonna get married and we're gonna have a family! Just keep on fighting him please!"

Aang's eyes begin to close, "I love you, Katara." He whispers before passing out and leaning into her shoulder.

Katara made Aang lay down and looked at him worriedly, "Aang!" She held his face in her hands, "Aang! Don't let him win!" She cried as she laid her head on his chest, "Please don't leave me..."