DISCLAIMER:
I don't own "Avatar: The Last Airbender." If I did, it would be Zutara, Sukka and Taang at the end. Mai would be married off to some Fire Nation nobleman and Ty Lee would be with the Kyoshi warriors. Ozai would be sucked in his grief because his Firebending was taken away and his Inner fire would slowly die out while Azula would remain insane and would gradually become saner/ more sane with the help of Zuko who makes her realize that she can be a good person, living fully and honestly and not just living for more power BUT since this isn't the ending then I don't own ATLA. ^__^
This is my first ever fanfic so please be nice and review and comment for wrong spellings or whatever, just REVIEW, 'kay?? ^__^
This story was previously known as "Destinies and Fate" but I changed it to"Fated."
So, so sorry because I had to delete the 'Destinies and Fate.' It was getting kind of confusing so I just deleted it and reposted it as this. T___T sorry.
Oh, and miyumixxhikari told me that Aang wasn't dead but fatally hurt so he wasn't reincarnated, just healed. My mistake. Thanks! You're the first one to review "Destinies and Fate." I really appreciate it! ^__^
The one in bold is the one that I edited from the previous story 'Destinies and Fate.'
Katara's POV
The war's done and tonight, there's going to be a party for Zuko's coronation. I was done preparing for the banquet later on and I still have some time left so I left my room and wandered around, trying to find a nice place to wait. This is how I found this balcony. It turns out that this is also where the party will be held later so I stayed, attracted to the scenic view. It's a good place to wait. This way, I won't be late and I won't have to wander around, lost, trying to find this place. It's so calm...
I sighed... I looked at the sunset... It was so beautiful, so orange, unlike at the South Pole where everything is white. I missed the color white. White represents purity, innocence. Peace, I thought. It was what everyone needed right now. The war's over now, too. It was the first step to attaining peace...I sighed again...
South Pole. I remembered my home again. Home. I haven't been home for a long time. I missed the cold, the snow, the soft, fluffy, white snow. I wondered how Gran-Gran and Dad would feel about me coming home. And Master Pakku! I imagined what kind of greeting would await me... I imagined what my home would probably look like. Maybe it would look like the North Pole, their sister tribe. With large canals as their streets. Sokka and me could live in a palace, too, since Dad is the chief. The South Pole could be like what I have in my mind! With the help of Master Pakku, maybe I should call him Granpakku now, he is, after all, my official grandfather. I silently chuckled. I wouldn't want someone noticing me laughing alone and think of me as insane. I heard from Aang that some people from the North Pole went to the South Pole to help rebuild it and eventually live there. I began to get more excited.
"I want to go home," I said out loud to no one in particular. The wind followed my words, carrying it with the flow. I hoped it would reach the spirits and not end up to nothingness. I sighed for the third time. I leaned more over to the balcony overlooking the vast blue ocean. The view is so peaceful. I looked over to the point where the sun meets the edge of the water. I closed my eyes, feeling the breeze whip at my face and the little warmth of the sun all over me.
I felt someone come up from behind me... By instinct, I waved my hand forward, forming a huge puddle of water from the ocean and sent it flying backwards to where I think the stranger is. I heard a solid splash. I turned around and froze the water to ice, simultaneously, as I surrounded myself with my water tentacles, waving back and forth, menacingly.
When I turned around and saw who it was that I attacked, the water I was bending dropped to the floor with a wet splash.
I laughed. It was Aang and it seems he was in the middle of bending the water to dry himself when I froze him. Only his eyes were moving around when I bended all the water that I took back into the ocean while laughing. After we shared a good laugh, I leaned again at the railings. Aang joined me and also leaned against the balcony and watched the sunset with me. I watched him.
When I met him in the iceberg back home, when he first opened his eyes after sleeping for a hundred years, everything about him was overflowing with innocence. His eyes back then held this kind of spark that can usually be found from the eyes of 8-year olds. It was brimming with curiosity and wild excitement. Now, the spark that was like firecrackers before are now like a light from a weak match. As I stared deep into those gray eyes, I noticed that the usual light was replaced with wisdom. Wisdom only attained from knowledge unreachable here in the human world. I guess that wisdom came from the Spirit World. He's changed a lot. We all did. We changed in different aspects. I looked back at the ocean.
Aang... Toph... Sokka... Suki... Me, Katara... And Zuko... Even Appa and Momo... I smiled at the thought. We all changed. No matter how small or big, whether living or not, they change. It is the only thing constant in this world. Change.
I was pondering over the word when I noticed Aang staring at me... not with the curiosity but with... passion. I smiled at him and blushed. He leaned towards me. I hesitated. Suddenly, a voice inside my head spoke up.
'Why are you hesitating? He's the one for you! YOU helped him out of the iceberg. YOU taught him waterbending. YOU helped him find Toph. YOU helped him learn earthbending. YOU saved him in the catacombs. YOU healed him when he was fatally injured using the water from the Spirit Oasis. YOU supported him in every step of the way. Your destinies are entwined together.' it said.
What it said countered a thought I previously considered. When Zuko jumped in front of me to save my life, I thought it was Zuko's and mine that was bound by fate.
Azula pointed her middle and pointer fingers at me. I noticed her stance and the blue light emerging from the tip of her fingers confirmed what I concluded. Lighting. I watched with dread when she pointed it at Zuko. Bright blue lightning erupted from her fingers. I looked into her eyes. It was crazed and it bore into mine when she glanced back at me. She was insane. Zuko was preparing to redirect it. I wanted to shout a warning. I was her target, not him. I wanted to run, evade. I wanted to shout but my mind won't connect with my body. After glancing at me for a second, her fingers were now pointing at me. When she released the blue flame, I knew it was too late when Zuko recognized where she wanted to shoot and yet... and yet he ran at it and still tried to redirect it. I could only watch as he crumpled and trembled from the shock caused by inability to release it from his system in time.
I still remember the words he said to me. "Thank you, Katara." he uttered when he woke up after I healed him. During that time, I felt the connection we made under the catacombs erupt again. I felt butterflies in my stomach when he said it although it was a simple 'thank you' which I always receive from my friends and family. I didn't know why I felt that way before but now I know better. I love him.
'Do you really??' the same voice inside my head mocked me, 'Do you think he feels the same way when he's with Mai right now? Do wish to ruin their relationship for nothing? You could love Aang. The Avatar loves you and you're not sure that Zuko feels the same way that you do. This is a great relationship that you're gonna turn down if you're going to love Zuko when he most probably just feels grateful for what you've done to him, as friends. Love Aang.' It commanded. 'Will you love someone that probably couldn't love you back and hurt someone who holds you very dear in his heart?' The voice trailed off.
What will I choose? To hurt myself by loving someone who couldn't love me and hurt the one in front of me who would probably give me everything that he has just so that he could be with me? Or love the latter to make him happy and maybe... just maybe, I could learn to love him back?
Without hesitating this time, I leaned in, solidifying my decision. His lips were soft against mine, hesitant. The kiss was, too. The feeling is unfamiliar, yet not unwanted.
A thought popped into my head. 'Oh really? NOT unwanted?!' It said in a mocking tone.
Out of nowhere, I wondered what Zuko's lips would feel like when he--
The thought brought me up short. I pulled back in surprise, my face expressing the same.
"What's wrong, Katara?" I heard him ask worriedly.
"Nothing," I replied robotically, "I gotta go. I still have to prepare for the banquet later. See you there!" I said to him as I headed back to my chambers. I didn't look back at him so I wouldn't see his expression. If it was hurt or worried, I would probably turn back there and try to make it up to him. I half-jogged, half-ran, but the thing is... I didn't know where my room is. I was lost. Lost in the palace and lost in my thoughts. I love someone who can't love me back and now that my bestfriend's in love with me and I don't know what to feel about it and... I don't know what to do!! Instead of asking someone, I wandered around, not caring anymore where I'm headed...
My first ever fanfic. Please review after reading!! I would really appreciate it whatever input you would type in! ^__^
There's more to come!! I originally thought of this as a one-shot but it was too long so I'll just write it as a series... Read and Review!!^___^
Sorry again for the inconvenience that I caused... T__T but please continue reviewing this!! T___T