Katara looked out at the sea with Aang, back at the Northern Water Tribe. She could feel the warmth of the airbender against her arm, but something just didn't feel right.
She was so happy that the war was over, Azula was behind bars, and peace was once again restored across the land, but it wasn't just Aang who had done that.
It was Zuko too.
She still though about Zuko, the new fire lord, high and mighty, and done with his evil ways. He was so content with his new life, but Katara felt a feeling inside her, a feeling that made her think that Aang wasn't as important after all.
Meanwhile, Fire lord Zuko lay in his bed, wondering if he made the right choices again.
'What if Mai really isn't for me?' He thought, thinking about a previous fight that caused Mai to leave the palace. Zuko quickly remembered Katara, and how she had helped take down his sister. She had even healed him, and cared for him, accepting him at last, after he gained her trust.
"Katara…" He murmured, and then knew what he wanted to do.
Back at the Northern Air Temple, Aang lay sprawled across the floor of his chambers, along with Katara, who was sitting on his bed, sewing his shirt that had ripped at the sleeve.
"Almost done?" He asked, stealing a kiss upon her cheek. Katara uncomfortably nodded.
"Yeah. Almost." She muttered. Aang stared at her.
"Katara, is there something wrong?" He aside, holding her by the waist as he pulled her off the bed and held her close. It was a year later, and Aang had grown taller than she, as she looked up at him.
"Nothing. Just let me-mmmm!"
Aang pressing his lips onto hers, pushing her on the bed and not releasing her from his strong grasp cut her off. Katara tried pushing him, but Aang was persistent as he pulled his pants off and moved his hands all around her chest. As he moved them to the final spots where Katara did not wish him to touch, She furiously pushed him off.
"AANG! Here, your stupid shirt is done. You-you-UGH! Just DON'T TOUCH ME AGAIN. LEAVE ME ALONE." She said, running from the room in tears. Aang frowned. How could Katara do this? She was supposed to love him as he loved her back, but there was something wrong!
Katara ran to her brother's room, sobbing.
"Katara, what's wrong?" He asked, putting his arm around his sister. Katara choked up her words.
"Aang…he…he touched me…kissed me too much…He just…ugh…Kept touching me and wouldn't let me breathe!" She shrilled, running to her room. Sokka shook his head in anger. Storming to Aang's room, he stopped at the doorway, frowning at the airbender.
"AANG! You were being an animal to my sister!" He yelled. Aang's face flushed with guilt.
"Sokka! I-I'm sorry! I didn't know-"
"Didn't know WHAT? That my sister wouldn't LIKE IT if you kept touching her in all the places she didn't want to be touched? You are to LEAVE HER ALONE." Sokka yelled as he stormed away. Aang sighed as he plopped down on his bed.
"What Have I Done?"
Katara, much calmer, was out in the plaza of the temple, greeting Gran-Gran and Paku.
"Good morning, Katara. Something on your mind?" Paku asked. Katara shook her head.
"No." She lied as she continued to walk around. She went to the spirit oasis, where Princess Yue had sacrificed herself to save the world. Sitting on the soft grass, she began to wonder about Zuko again.
'He had taken that lightning blast for me.' She suddenly remembered. He had also brought her to the monster that killed Kaya, her mother, and had tried so hard to gain her trust again, like he really DID care after all.
Days passed by, and each one Katara had turned down Aang's apologies. He kept trying in all possible ways, none that seemed to impress Katara.
Though, one early morning, when Katara had decided to sit by the shores of the newly added beach, she began bending the water, bored. Suddenly, she could see a black ship in the distance. Looking more carefully, she recognized the ship instantly.
It was Zuko!
Bending the water to make the waves move the ship closer, Zuko's ship arrived quicker than it should've as he stepped off from the top of the ramp to the bottom, smiling as he saw Katara.
"Zuko!" She said happily, greeting the fire lord with a hug. She quickly remembered something, though.
"Oh, I mean, Sorry. I guess I should bow." She said, bowing the proper way the people in the fire nation did.
Zuko laughed. "No need. I'm glad to see you, Katara!" He said, returning the hug as she brought him through the doors of the Northern Water Tribe and allowed people to greet him. Aang saw him at his window, and flew down with his glider to greet the fire lord.
"Hi, Zuko." Aang greeted warmly. Zuko nodded at Aang. "Aang! Great to see you again."
"So Zuko," Katara asked, breaking up Aang and Zuko's welcome to one another, "How long are you staying?"
"I think I'll be staying here for around a week or two." He said, staring at her deep, blue eyes. Katara smiled. "Perfect. Here, I'll show you to your rooms. We'll give you a welcoming feast tonight; I'll ask Paku to ask the new leader.
"New leader?" Zuko asked.
"His
name is Sho. He was the former leader's brother." She said,
bringing him up a flight of stairs, then entering another small ice
building. She walked along the halls, then frowned.
"Oh, no."
She sighed. Zuko raised his eyebrows.
"Is there something wrong?"
"All the rooms are full…oh, I think Sokka and I have a small spare room connecting our 2 rooms. You can just lock the door connecting to my room." She said, taking him through her door, then another door inside, which connected to a small den. Sokka had his door open, so Zuko could see into his room as well.
"Zuko!" He said, leaping from his bed and giving Zuko a big hug.
"Hi, Sokka." Zuko said, almost out of breath from Sokka's hug. "I'll be staying in this room right here." He said. Sokka grinned.
"Yay! We can be roomies!" He said happily. Zuko coughed. "Uh, yeah. Great." He said, waving Katara goodbye as she left the room, smiling at him.
"Hey Zuko." Sokka murmured. Zuko turned.
"Welcome back!" Sokka said loudly.