A gentle hand
Katara woke suddenly. She felt a warm, gentle hand resting on her back lightly, before lifting. She looked around the dark room. A cool breeze floated in through the open windows bringing with it the scent of thousands of fire lilies. She lay in her bed, thinking about her dreams and who the hand belonged to. Her eyes widened slightly as she remembered an equally warm, soft hand waking her from a troubled sleep almost three years ago.
"Aang?" she breathed, standing up to look out through the window. There was nothing out there. Why would there? She thought. Why would Aang come, after two years, today of all days? She shook her head and walked back to her bed. Zuko lay there, asleep, his scarred face peaceful and happy. She sighed and decided that, once again, she wanted to sleep in the fire lillie field. How many times Zuko had woken up and found her there she didn't know, but it helped her sleep. She got up and walked through the door and into the moonlit garden. Her feet beat the familiar path to the field and her mind began to calm down, filled with the smell of the flowers. When she got there however, someone else was already lying in the flowers. With his eyes closed, and his hands folded behind his head, Aang looked serene and calm. As if nothing was wrong. She bent down and tapped him on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and gazed at her. The hurt, anger and sadness returned to his features, and his hands clenched.
"Hey" she said, sitting down beside him.
"Hey" he replied, looking back at the stars.
"I… I havn't seen you in a while" she said. The urge to put her arms around him and take away that look of utter, utter lowliness was over powering.
"Yeah" he agreed.
"Almost two years I think" she wanted the hug him, tell him how much she had missed him while he was gone. He nodded.
"They're nice stars aren't they?" he asked, gazing up at them. She looked up at them to.
"Yeah. They are" she whispered. He looked at her.
"How've you been?" he asked, some of his old warmth returning to his voice. She shrugged, her eyes filling with tears.
"O-okay" she muttered. He smiled sadly.
"I haven't been that good" he told her. A tear rolled down her cheek. He put his hand on her cheek and slowly wiped it away.
"I missed you" he murmured. Her breath caught in her chest.
"I've missed you too" she sighed, placing a hand on his, keeping it on her cheek.
"No necklace" she looked at him, surprised.
"What necklace?" she asked. He slid his hand of her cheek.
"I thought Zuko would have given you a necklace by now" she looked at him.
"A betrothal necklace?" she breathed. He nodded.
"No" she muttered "He has asked me. Twice. But I've said no"
"Why?" he tilted her face up, so he could look at her.
"Why did you say no, Katara?"
"Because….." she stopped and took a deep breath.
"Because I don't love him" She shut her eyes.
"Does he know?" She opened her eyes.
"No. He told me that he would propose for the last time today. He said that he respected the fact that I hadn't been ready, but he said that I also needed to respect the fact that he was" Aang let out a long breath.
"Are you ready?" he said quietly. She looked at her knees.
"I don't think I will ever be ready to marry Zuko" she told him, still looking at her knees.
"Will you marry me then?" she looked up. Aang was kneeling in front of her, holding out the necklace he had woven for her all those years ago.
"Will you marry me?" he repeated. She looked into his stormy grey eyes. Eyes that she knew. Eyes that she trusted. Eyes that she loved.
"Yes" she said.