She sat on the beach, knees pulled up to her chest. She let her eyes close, rested her chin on her knees, and wrapped her arms around her legs. The dull sound of the waves brushing against the shoreline lulled her into a semi-sleep of nostalgia. The sun warmed her skin, began to burn lightly. Eyes still closed, she brought a tendril of seawater to her and let it pour over her arms and legs, causing her to shiver.

The others were off playing, except for Toph, who sat with her feet deep in the sand. She would have preferred more solid ground, but there wasn't any place close enough to the shoreline. Suki sat with her a while, until Toph told her she should go play with the others. She obviously didn't like being a bother to the others, but they were friends, and wanted to keep her with them. So they would switch between the water and the beach.

Katara decided to be on her own. There had been more interaction than she'd wanted, and she needed to rest her mind. Aang had already told everyone they were together. He hadn't asked her if it was okay, and now she was holding her frustration in. It had been only two weeks! Dating was one thing, but saying they were together was something completely different.

Though, when she thought about it from his perspective it made sense. He had lost everyone he knew, and she was the first person he saw after waking up. It would only make sense that he wished to attach himself to her. Romance was the best way to keep someone as close as possible. Yes, she cared for him. Yes, she liked kissing him, and being close to him. But there was something in her that was uncomfortable, unsure, and she couldn't figure out what it was. She knew she would either get over it, or find out what it was, and everything would work out the way it was supposed to be.

She stood up and walked towards the shore, into the ocean. The sand of the sea squished between her toes and pulled away with the tide. She got in up to her neck, the cold water contrasting with the warm sea breeze, and began to form a pocket of air for her head.

"Katara, what's up?" Sokka called to her from some yards away. He was playing a ball game they'd discovered from Zuko, and altered it so they could play in the water.

Smiling, she called back. "Just want to do some exploring."

"Okay!" He grinned and went back to playing.

Submerging herself fully, she tread water, watching the long, thin fish swim lithely about her. They were almost see-through. She could see their skeletons, their little mouths opening and closing to gobble up infinitesimally small pieces of food. Her lids closed, and she floated in the wonderful experience of weightlessness.

She understood how Toph could find peace in the earth. It was comforting, feeling the grains of sand scratch her callused feet, the rocks holding solid against her body, especially when the sun warmed them, and you could soak it all in. Water was the same to Katara, with a softer touch.

How Aang and Zuko found peace in their elements didn't make sense to her. The wind made her cranky. It was constant, pushy, and demanded to be noticed. Fire was something she was still learning to live with. As time passed, she might become comfortable with the idea of fire as something that brought people together-cooking together, sitting at a bonfire-rather than tearing them apart.

She moved through the sea, her thoughts focused on the animals around her. Quietly, she began to make little whirlpools to try to play with some of the fish. They avoided them at first, then scuttled off when she continued to pester them.

Discouraged, she turned away from them. She looked at a bit of coral, which turned into a burst of lightning. Her body seized up, and the bubble around her breached, the water rushing to fill the void. She was at the Agni Kai with Zuko. He leapt, taking the attack and holding it in too long. Water poured into her throat through her mouth and nose. With a thud, he fell heavily to the ground as the lightning coursed through his body, and he shook in pain. She called out to him, but Azula turned her sights on Katara again. She was too late, and too weak. Her eyes closed heavily, and she felt herself drifting away.

"Katara!" Everyone was screaming at her, urging her to open her eyes. Everything ached, she couldn't breathe. Someone's hands were on her chest, pumping her heart. Why was she dry? She had been in the water. A fire coursed through her lungs and she took a gasping breath in. The hands stopped pressing against her chest, stayed where they were a moment, moved to touch her cheek. "Katara?" The voice was soft, ragged.

She opened her eyes, saw everyone leaning over her, fear in their eyes. Following the hands that touched her, she saw the healing scar in the center of his chest, saw Zuko. With effort she croaked, "What happened?"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"You blacked out in the water," Aang said. "We didn't know about it until Zuko saw bubbles coming up from where you were."

"Thank you, Zuko."

He nodded. "You should rest here. It took a lot out of you." He had to refrain from pulling her to him, resting his forehead against hers. His breath was still heavy from fear and determination. What would have happened if he hadn't seen her?

"I'll say! What happened that you forgot to keep bending?" Toph placed a hand on Katara's, patting it, not slapping it. It was the first time Katara remembered Toph being gentle with her.

She shuddered. "I was thinking about my mom, I think. It was someone important, anyhow." She looked at Zuko and took his hand. "You've saved me too many times. How can I repay you?"

His heart seized up in his chest. No.

"Sacrifice yourself to the melon lord," Toph whispered.

He forced a smile and the others laughed lightly, nervously. "Stay my friend until I piss you off again."

She laughed, strained, tears forming in her eyes. "I will, and after." His response shattered her, and she began to weep, letting out wails of pain. Aang grabbed her and held her close, not understanding, as Zuko rubbed her back. Everyone stayed close by, but gave them some room. After her crying wound down, Aang continued to hold her, while Zuko's hand had trailed away, but stayed close to her fingers in the sand.