When reflecting on the events of her life, five moments stood out in Katara's mind, all important and all life changing.

The first was when her parents left her. They were separate events with separate circumstances, but they blended together as one painful memory. The fear and smoke and bloodshed of her mother's death contrasted with and led to the sad, tranquil scene of her father's leave.

One was permanent separation. One was temporary. Both were equally painful.

Then there was the day she met Aang. The day she felt joy and hope for the first time in years, breaking him out of the iceberg like a mother bird hatching her egg.

Tied into that was the moment she first saw Zuko, fierce and intimidating with his heavy armour and angry scar. That was when their fates – hers, Sokka's, Aang's, and Zuko's – had become eternally intertwined. Both moments changed her life forever.

A long gap of emotions and events followed, each having its own importance to the outcome of her life, but none standing out like the previous two. Not until the caves, anyway.

It wasn't the cave with Aang – that had been interesting, but not character defining. Instead, she recalled being trapped with Zuko. So much had happened in that time. She trusted him, pitied him, raged at him, and even tried to heal him. In the end, he betrayed her, and she became sad and hurt and distrustful.

Next was the time she gave him her trust again, and he didn't break it. The details were fuzzy (so much had happened, so quickly), but she recalled the basics; Sokka, lightening, protection, and forgiveness.

Finally, there was the fifth moment. Not the invasion, as most would assume. That had been chaotic and terrifying and seemingly impossible, but not nearly as life changing as the day that followed several weeks later.

Zuko had proposed with a betrothal necklace that bared the symbols of their two nations.

And she had said yes.


Author's Notes: Not much to say about this one. I kinda like how it turned out, but I dunno... Anyway, tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: 'Avatar' and all its characters are property of Mike and Bryan.