CHAPTER TWO
Five years later.
"Aang!" Katara screamed his name from down the hall. He flew through the door with a rush of air, a worried look on his face.
"What? What is it? Is it the baby?"
Katara stood up, her small baby bump protruding from the long blue dress she wore. Her face lit up in a smile. "He kicked." She said simply and Aang's hands were on her stomach before she could take a breath. She put her hands over hers and pressed down slightly. A kick came soon after, in the same place. Aang's face shined brighter than the sun.
"Oh, Katara, it's amazing." He pulled her into an embrace.
OoOoOo
When he found out she was marrying him, he was devastated, when he found out she was pregnant with his child, his world fell apart. Yet, he never stopped playing the part. Perfect ruler, perfect leader, perfect friend. It seemed his years of putting up a hard wall to Azula and his father had helped him in the long run. He would see him today. Yes, he was his best friend, yes, they treated one another like brothers. Yes, he would trust him with his life. But, no. Aang would never be looked on quite as fondly as he once was by Zuko. Not while Zuko secretly longed for a certain Water Tribe women. He hated himself for feeling this way towards Aang, hated himself for loving Katara with such a fierceness. He hated himself for everything he'd done, how he felt, how he breathed.
Zuko pulled his hair into a tight bun and put the Fire Lord's crown on his head. The heads of the four nations, the Avatar representing Air, were meeting today. Today, Aang would bring Katara here, away from Republic City, to his home, were he would see her, love her, yearn for her. And they would exchange polite greetings for two who'd known each other for a long amount of time. Oh, how he wished he could just pull her mouth to his.
OoOoOo
When Katara arrived at the Fire Lord's home, a pang went through her heart, almost crippling her. Memories of the days and nights spent her after the war filled her head. Zuko walked out of the castle, gave her a polite bow and Aang a bear hug. Soon after, the Earth Queen, Toph arrived with an amazing entrance, throwing everyone but Katara to the ground.
"Twinkle toes! Sparky! How goes it, my main men?" She punched both them on the shoulder and went over to Katara. "So, how's my next main man?"
"He's good," Katara said, putting her hands on her belly.
"She!" Inserted Aang. "It's going to be a girl, I just know it."
"Oh, please!" The three others said in unison. They all looked at each other in surprise before laughing. Zuko gestured to the door and they all walked in.
"We're just waiting on Arnook," Zuko said as they sat down at the table. Arnook, the Northern Water Tribe leader had a much longer ride than the rest of them. Katara got up and made them tea, ignoring Aang and Zuko's protests. Toph followed her in the bathroom.
"You know, I can see the tension in the room… and I'm blind! You and Sparky got something going on." Katara laughed as Toph talked, a fake smile coming to her face.
"Toph, nothing is going on with Zuko and I. We're friends. We've been friends for 6 years now."
"Oh, Sugar Queen, don't you know I'm a genius?" Toph said as she left the room. Katara fixed the tea and brought it back into the room. Arnook was there with Aang, Zuko, and Toph.
"Enjoy your tea." She said, bowing. She backed form the room and wandered the halls. She and Aang had spent a year here, they had gotten married here. She had fallen in love here… with Zuko. She had tried to forget about him, stop loving him. Yet, even now, while carrying Aang's child, she loved Zuko. She had this feeling in her chest, her heart beat faster than ever, and her whole being yeaned for him. She turned into her old room and sat on the ground. Under her old bed, pushed all the way back was the knife she'd done the deed with. She pulled up her sleeves, her skin paler their than anywhere else. The white scars lined her arms, a testimony of the War. Even Aang had never seen these, even while being intimate with him, she managed to hide them. Only Zuko had seen them, only Zuko had touched them, kissed them, helped her heal them.
"Katara?" A voice said from the darkness, an unknown voice, a familiar voice. She stood slowly, supporting her belly, with the knife in her hands. "Oh, with child, are you?" A cackling laugh went through the air.
"Who are you?" She asked, her voice confidant. The man laughed again and stepped from the shadows. Katara dropped her knife as the former Fire Lord came face to face with her.