4/11/18: Hi guys! So I revised the first couple of chapters just to fix some grammatical errors and small plot holes. This is the first fanfic I've written so when I started I jumped head-first into the shallow end and didn't exactly create the quality of content I'd hoped for. Hopefully it makes the beginning of this story a little more readable.

Katara stands alone on the grand entrance of the building, gazing out over the hundreds of rooftops populating Ba Sing Se. The sunset was ending as the last rays of light shrunk back into the horizon. All that's left are the lanterns along the streets, giving off a soft illumination to the maze of the city. She sighs at the beauty of it all.

Aang was inside, performing his evening meditation before bed. They had just shared a passionate kiss, one without hesitation, unlike the one they shared during the day of the black sun. Although Katara had trepidations in the past, the recent victory over Fire Lord Ozai brought a sense of peace over the nations, and something within Katara realized that she could be happy with Aang. He isn't a man yet; he certainly has a lot of growing to do. But she knows that they could grow together into something magnificent if she only gave it a chance.

And yet… was she sure she wanted to take that chance?

Katara leans against the banister and shakes her head. Of course she's sure. This isn't some random stranger, like Jet. This is Aang, the Avatar, the boy with whom she trained for the past year after finding him in the iceberg. She knows him, and he knows her. They're never going to leave each other's lives, not with all they've been through. It almost seemed like fate brought them together. Katara can't ignore those signs, not with Aang so desperately in love with her already. He could bring her a lifetime of happiness. So why isn't she feeling as excited as she expected?

"Aren't you cold out here?"

Katara jumps around. Zuko is leaning against the frame of the archway, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"No, actually, I'm not." She retorts, embarrassed that he startled her.

Zuko walks up beside her. They stare out at the city together for a moment before he speaks. "So what are you doing out here?"

"I'm just... thinking."

"About what?"

Katara doesn't respond.

"Oh. You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Zuko phrases this more like a statement than a question. Katara whips her head in his direction, her face quickly changing from shocked to inquisitive.

"And who exactly are you talking about?"

"Aang." Zuko keeps his face pointed at the city skyline. "You two, you're together now?"

Katara isn't sure what to say. It's been only 5 minutes since she and Aang kissed. She's not even sure if that means that they are together.

Who is she kidding, she knows that that's what it means. She just hasn't fully processed that fact quite yet, let alone thought to tell anyone.

"I… I don't know. What gave you that impression?"

"I saw you two out here, just moments ago." Zuko finally turns toward her. He gives a faint smile, but his eyes seem to tell a different story. "I'm happy for you."

Katara stares at him in silence. She's not sure if she should be upset that Zuko was spying on them. Should she retaliate? Tell him off for being a creep?

No. She knows why he's saying this.

"Then why don't you look happy?"

Zuko's brows twitch and his smile falters, if only for a second. "What do you mean?"

"Zuko…"

He turns his head toward the house, and she can see his eyes becoming slightly glossy in the light. He turns back to her and smiles again, chuckling softly.

"Alright. I know you're not dumb, Katara. In fact, you're the most brilliant person I know. I don't know why I thought I could lie through my teeth about this." He looks down at the ground, meddling with his hands. "I really do want to be happy for you, you know. I thought…"

Zuko sighs, trying to put words in his mouth. He finally looks up at her.

"I thought that maybe, there was something. Please… tell me I'm not making it up."

Katara remembers the crystal cave. How, after hearing his story, she felt something for Zuko that she knew she shouldn't. How heartbroken she was when he went and turned against her. She flashes forward to the Agni Kai against Azula, when her heart sank thinking he had been shot down and killed trying to protect her. She also remembers the flood of emotions that came when she managed to revive him. In that moment, nothing was more precious to her than his life.

She can't deny that there's something between them. But she also can't deny that it seems impossible for them to act upon it at this point. She's with Aang, and Zuko's with Mai. She would not be the girl in this love triangle, or square, or whatever it was, causing chaos wherever she walked. She can't have Zuko thinking he has a chance.

Katara's expression grows despondent. "I'm sorry, Zuko," she says firmly. "But you and I both know that we're friends, just friends. If I did or said anything to make you think otherwise, that was my mistake. But I love Aang, he is who I want to be with. Plus, you just got back together with Mai. So I would just forget about it."

Zuko gulps down his hurt as he takes a step back, his face hardening. "You love him, huh? After one kiss?," he says aggressively.

"I'll have you know that that wasn't our first kiss! We've kissed before, not that it's any of your business," Katara spits out almost instinctively, immediately wishing that she had held her tongue. Zuko's face drops, then turns stone cold.

"I see. Well, then I won't bother. You've made your message quite clear."

Zuko storms back into the house, quickly adjusting his stride when he crosses the threshold of the doorway to hide his anger. Katara hears a door slam closed and turns to the banister to cry. Great, now she's gone and hurt another person she loves. Just as things had finally settled and she saw a peaceful family amongst her friends.

Apprehension sweeps over her as she realizes there's no turning back. She's now the Avatar's girl and in a solely political relationship with the Fire Lord, whether she liked it or not.

Katara regains her composure and makes her way to her bedroom. She clutches the handle and begins opening the door when she hears a creaking sound coming from behind her and turns. There's Aang, nervously standing in the doorway of his room. His face blushes as he smiles at her.

"Hey there."

Katara smiles back at him. Aang looks to the side and starts rubbing the back of his neck.

"So I was thinking… did you want to, oh I don't know, sleep in my room tonight? Now that we're together and all." He looks at her like a puppy dog, anticipating her answer.

Katara pauses for a moment before nodding. "Sure, sweetie. Just let me get into some pajamas." Aang's face perks up and Katara turns and enters her room, closing the door behind her. She sits on the edge of her bed staring at the hardwood floor.

I guess this is it, now. My life.

She changes and heads to Aang's room for the night.