Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of its characters!

This is my new series for Aang, on a side note I plan to do this for Katara, Sokka, Toph, and possibly Iroh if by awesome readers want it! (Thanks for reading!)

-Ardala91

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."

–Jean de La Fontaine

Destiny. Fate. Was it all predestined? He wondered darkly, or was there choice? Did he get to choose what he desired to do? Would he always have to do what the great and glorious Avatar had to do…would he ever be able to make decisions as himself?

He remembered well when he'd first been told that he was the Avatar. As a twelve year old at the time, he hadn't known how to feel about it. He was confused. Scared. Afraid of change which had come swiftly. Then he had handled it by running away. That had led to a hundred year sleep and waking to a changed world. But it had given way to something new and profound…

Aang rolled over to his stomach on his bed uncomfortably, feeling as if the sheets were trying to strangle him as he thought. He could feel the sweat slick all over his body and tried to find a cold spot in the sheets. Irritated he threw them off. Why was it always hot in the Fire Nation?! Memories of sleeping by the fireside underneath the stars came to him and he thought of it wistfully. He'd be back to travelling soon enough, he told himself, you can survive till then!

He was not a child anymore and he could be patient now, Aang repeated to himself firmly. Still…he felt like running outside and calling Appa, and together they could just fly away again. No! He yelled sharply in his mind. He had duties; he was the Avatar…who didn't even know how to make a decision.

As Aang, he wanted it badly, was burning for that chance….but that could make her unhappy, what kind of lifestyle would she have with him? Yet he knew that she was what he wanted.

As the Avatar, he shouldn't risk someone like that; he could bring her danger and harm. Was it even right for him to be with someone? Even if that wasn't the issue, would she prove to be a distraction…? He shook his head, of course not…but he didn't want to be the source of her fall.

He spent the whole night unable to sleep, unable to decide. That morning as he was getting ready to leave his decision was made for him. "Aang!" a voice called out, making him turn. "Wait!" Blue eyes flashed with annoyance in her face as she ran to him. Aang couldn't swallow as he looked at her. She was beautiful.

"Are you leaving?" she asked outraged with a heavy breath.

Aang shrugged uncomfortably. "It's time I was leaving; there are other places I'm needed at."

"You're trying to leave without notice," Katara said angrily, "Were you trying to leave me here?"

Aang looked away guiltily, avoiding her eyes. "You…I thought you didn't want to leave."

He heard Katara sputter. "Why would I not…" she started to say, but realization dawned on her face, "You thought that I…and…Zuko?"

Aang looked back at her. "It seemed like it."

Katara shook her head. "We're friends, that's all," she explained, "Don't be so quick to judge!"

Aang gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry," he said carefully. He didn't mention when he had seen them together how Zuko looked at her. She hadn't noticed it and maybe he didn't want her to. Perhaps if she did know…he rolled his eyes at himself, giving in to the competition now? He asked himself with a snort.

"Aang?" Katara asked him. "We can leave now if you want too."

"Where's your stuff." He asked with an eyebrow. Maybe if she left to get it he could go…he slapped himself mentally. What was he thinking? She'd said herself that she wasn't with Zuko!

"I already packed it with yours," she stated with a smile. She leaned to his ear and whispered, "I know what you were thinking about, so I helped you to make the right choice."

Aang gave her a shamed smile. "Thanks Katara." Then he leaned in and kissed her, making the decision final with no doubt.