Chapter One: A Glance into the Past

She sat at the edge of the river bending the water into different things a whip, a wave, and even a whirlpool. It was late and she couldn't sleep; sitting on the edge of the shore, she saw the moon high in the sky: she smiled.

"Hi Yue," she said to the giant ivory orb knowing that there would be no response, and she was okay with that.

With her knees close to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and shivered from the breeze, her hair loops blowing in her face. The young water bender looked at her reflection in the water, and sighed at the site of her semi-bed head; she undid her braid and let her hair hang loosely around her face: she smiled in great approval at the site of her long chocolate brown curls. Shivers ran down her spine once again; she went to hug herself again but stopped at the presence of another, bending the water into a whip she quickly attacked the intruder. Rushing into the river, she readied herself for battle, and turning to see the intruder, she discovered a familiar face.

"Zuko—" her voice trailed off in the wind.

The young fire bender rubbed the crimson spot on his face where his water bender friend had hit. "Katara what are you doing up so late?" Zuko asked his tone sounding annoyed.

"I couldn't sleep; I came out here to practice a little. What are you doing up so late?" Katara asked.

"I heard someone splashing out here and decided to check it out; you shouldn't be out here by yourself it's not safe." Zuko said.

"Why your royal highness, if I didn't know any better I would say you're concerned for my well being," she said with her eyebrow cocked up.

"Well—uh," Zuko stuttered, but then managed to change the subject. "Katara, who's Yue?"

Katara's shoulders stiffened at the sound of his question. "She was the princess of my sister tribe up north; she died that night when the Fire Nation attacked and Zhao killed the moon spirit," Katara said sadly.

"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to bring up something that bothered you," he said sincerely.

"It's alright, just don't talk about it around Sokka he's really sensitive about it even if he doesn't act like it," Katara said smiling; she shivered once again.

"Here," Zuko said hand her his over coat.

"No it's alright I'm fine" she said blushing.

"No you're not you're freezing look at your arms," he pointed to the goose bumps. He rubbed his hands together roughly, and then placed them over Katara's arms the warm heat soothing to her body.

"Thank you," she said putting on his over coat; the corner of Zuko's lips turned upward at the site of the small water bender in his big over coat. "What was your mother like Zuko?" Katara asked suddenly; it caught Zuko off guard.

"My," he didn't even want to begin to delve in his past.

"My mother was the greatest; she always taught Sokka and me to be strong, to keep hope even in the worst of times. I miss her so much," Katara said, tears now streaming down her face.

"Katara," was all he said before wiping away her tears. "My mother was a timeless beauty, so full of life, and love. Mother always told me that I was someone who kept trying no matter how hard it got, and that it was my strength to carry on that made me who I am."

"She sounds like she was a wonderful woman," Katara said.

"She was; your mom sounds like she was nice too, what about your father?" Zuko asked.

"It's been so long since I've last seen my dad, almost three years now. My dad is great though, Sokka is a like him in so many ways it's really funny." She said laughing.

"It's been a while since I've last heard you laugh," Zuko said staring off into the distance.

Katara looked at him confused for a second, and then turned away. "It's been a while since I've had anything to laugh about. I'm really worried Zuko, I don't know if this war will ever end, it was hard enough when we had to travel from you, but now its Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. Mai, and Ty Lee I can handle those idiots, but Azula is—psychotic."

"It's hard to believe in something that seems so pointless, but I understand. I use to have the hope that one day my father would accept me again, that he would love me and not think of me as the loser that I am."

"But your not a loser Zuko, your strong, brave, and good loo" Katara stopped before she said too much.

Zuko looked at her and caught a small glimpse of a blush on her face. "Thanks; I realized that my father is never going to accept me, and I've come to be alright with that. My uncle has been more of a father to me than my own father has anyways, and for that I'm grateful."

"What were you like as a child?" Katara asked curiously.

"Happy," Zuko said bluntly with a small laugh. "At least for the most part, when my mom was alive she always made things better; she was probably one of the only friends I had as a child, as sad as that sounds."

"It doesn't," Katara said beginning to pull her hair back into a braid, but Zuko stopped her.

"It's nice like that, you should leave it." He said still staring off in the distance. Katara only stared at him afraid to say anything.

Katara came back into reality only to hear Toph and Sokka arguing over who got the last piece of roast duck; it had been a while since they had a nice home cooked meal. Sitting across the table, she saw Zuko, and the girl Song who had been so kind as to invite them into her home. Apparently, Zuko had stolen one of their ostrich horses a while back, but Song was quick to forgive him; Katara looked at the girl talking to Zuko asking him all sorts of meaningless questions, the young fire bender's glance moved toward Katara, she was staring and he had caught her; blushing, she quickly looked down at her plate. Zuko just shook his head and continued to listen to Song.

"Katara come with me?" she heard a voice say; looking up she saw Aang reaching for her hand.
Standing Katara smiled at the air bender. "Alright Aang," was all she said. Zuko's eyes followed his comrades as they walked out the door.

"Junior is anything wrong?" Song asked waving her hand in front of his face.

Turning to look at the young girl, he shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

Aang helped Katara up on Appa, the moon was a beautiful crescent shape and there was a warm feel to the air. With a simple command of "yip yip" they were off soaring in the sky; the night was beautiful; Aang let go of the reigns and turned to Katara.

"Thank you Katara," he said bluntly.

"For what Aang?" Katara asked.

"For everything you've ever done for me, I don't know what I would do without you; you've become my very best friend and so much more. When lay alone at night unable to sleep because of all the things racing through my mind, I think of you and nothing else matters but you." Aang said compassionately; Katara lunged forward embracing the air bender.

"That day in Ba Sing Se when you—I mean when I saw Azula—at that moment I felt like everything I loved had disappeared. I was terrified and so angry all at the same time; Aang" she said finally looking at him, but he didn't say a thing he leaned in and gently kissed her, his lips were soft against hers and at first shocked Katara gave into his kiss.

Pulling away the air bender smiled at his love, "Next time will be different, I promise Katara."

They flew on Appa for only a little longer, Aang leaned against the sky bison's back, Katara held tightly in his arms sleeping he stared at her face, and remembered the first time that he ever saw her: you were the most beautiful being that I had ever seen I told myselff. Aang thought to himself. You've always been at my side Katara, and I'm truly grateful for that, when this is all said and done with I hope that you will still be at my side. He kissed her forehead, and led Appa back to Song's house.
Gently landing he carried Katara back to her room, laying her down he took one last look at her before slowly closing the door. Zuko sitting in another room stared out at the moon; he saw the sky bison lazily lying in a pile of hay; their back he thought to himself. Why do I care of Aang took Katara out for a night ride on Appa? He asked himself. It's not like I should care—but I do. Katara is much different then what I had first assumed, but I can't. Zuko stopped himself from thinking anything else; it was hard for him to care about others and for those he did care about he was always in constant fear of loosing them. He laid down in the sheets, and pushed away the idea of Aang and Katara, the idea of him and Katara.