Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Nickelodeon does.

A/N: Keep in mind that this is the BEGINNING of betrayal so don't expect Aang seeing a big make out scene between Katara and Zuko!!

Chapter 2: The Beginning of Love and Betrayal

Holding her hands in mine, I guided her on a stone path to an exquisite garden, decorated with alternating, circular waves of red and yellow tulips. The heart of the rings was a marble bench, engraved with delicate stones of ruby and citrine. A shallow pond flowed behind the bench to provide cool air and balance.

We had recently departed from a rather boring meeting in the Fire Nation Palace on the future plans for peace. Exhausted, we plopped down on the bench to relax in the afterglow of sweet freedom. I ran my hand over the smooth gems, thinking these mere rocks didn't even compare to the sapphire eyes I gazed at now.

Carefree and joyous as usual, Katara lightly complained as she rested her head against my shoulder, sighing in contentment. I was finally taller than her now!

"Who knew old people could fight for so long? I felt like I was in a room full of selfish children!"

I laughed, agreeing with her complaint. "I know! When will they all get along? But did you see old man Bao Yu sleeping? You could practically hear his snoring down the hall!"

She laughed in return. "You noticed too?! I thought everyone was deaf to not hear his snoring!"

Her sweet laugh echoed in my ears, sending peaceful waves to my elated heart.

Shifting, I watched the smile on her face and waited for it to reach her eyes, sparkling like the sun reflecting off the water.

It did, but she noticed my staring too.

Immediately, she grew pink until she hit a light crimson. The rambling grew faster.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Is something on my face? Is it my hair? Or is--"

Simply smiling, I mentally laughed at how paranoid she was about her looks. She was the most gorgeous woman in the world, even more so with the sun and wind enhancing her dazzling features. Honestly, I was staring at an angel, and we were in love. Life was good.

"No, Katara. You look….perfect." I tried to convey my utmost sincerity.

A simple "oh" was her answer, and the crimson faded to a faint pink. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she aspired to steer the subject away from her recent embarrassment.

"Well, at least the meeting is over. I think I would have died of boredom." She sighed and resumed her original position, my shoulder.

"Of course, you got out safely. I am your powerful bender." I sat up proudly, flexing.

"Yes, of course, my powerful bender…wait, how did-" She slowly raised her head and looked at my questioningly, "…Aang…"

One word rang in my head. Crap.

I hadn't told her about my "bathroom adventure" that made me jump off the walls in joy. I knew I couldn't lie to her, but I could try.

"Well, you see the thing is…uhhh. I was on my way to the….b-bathroom. Yeah, the bathroom, and I was only passing by. I happened to hear your voice….and maybe your fortune." I knew I had lost. Hopefully avoiding punishment, I mustered up the best cute face I could, but I just smiled weakly...so much for the brave Avatar.

She turned away from me, ignoring my apologies for forgiveness. She finally uttered, "An eavesdropping monk…who knew…"

Completely surprising me, she whipped around and kissed me. Her hands were on my chest as I was touching her soft lips and then…I was sitting in the pond, soaking wet.

She had purposely shoved me off the bench and now sat, smirking in triumph. She was the only person who could defeat the mighty Avatar, and she knew it.

"What was that for?!" I asked, splashing water in my emphasis.

Laughing, she replied, "That was for eavesdropping on my fortune." Leaving her seat, she bent down and unexpectedly kissed me…hard. Her heavenly lips on mine, moving together in a graceful rhythm. Maintaining balance, my hands pressed firmly against the pond rocks behind me, indentations in my wet palms, as she slowly increased the pressure.

Out of breath, she reluctantly separated and stated, "and that was for making my fortune come true." Standing back up, she offered her hand to help me up from my spot in the pond, but I had other plans in mind.

I roughly tugged on her hand to land in my wet lap, eliciting a sharp gasp and a small giggle. Immediately, I took her lips in mine for revenge. Hands locked behind my neck, she leaned into the kiss. I could feel the curves of her body pressed to mine, perfectly matching like a puzzle. I kept one firm hand on her waist, slowly descending toward other curious areas, but barely remained balance with other hand. A breeze brushed over our wet bodies, and Katara moved closer for warmth, never disconnecting our lips.

But our kissing needed to stop, sooner than we wanted to, because a certain coughing sound behind us.

I looked up to see a towering Fire Lord Zuko with a rather uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Avatar Aang, some Earth Kingdom officials want a moment with you."

Groaning, I stood up and waterbended myself dry. Clothes wet and clingy, Katara stood beside me and whispered seductively, "When you're done with your business, we can continue ours. I'll be waiting. Goodbye, my powerful bender." She kissed me on the cheek and left, leaving me to watch her wet-self stroll away.

I loved it when she kissed my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. We both knew the simple gesture was only for me and never anyone else. It was a sign of our mutual feelings that still sent me in a blushing craze. I reluctantly looked away to follow Zuko, thinking life was…really good.

I immediately woke up. It was all a dream. My stupid subconscious showing memories of the past.

I slid my hand across to the other side of the bed, silently hoping.

My hand hit nothing; it was empty and bare.

She wasn't coming back. But every morning I still hoped, and my heart broke each time.

I finally realized tears had been streaming down my face, wetting my clothes and pillow. I wasn't surprised; I had woken up this way for the past few days. It had been about a month since Katara and I separated, not from a kiss but forever, and I was still wallowing in my sorrows.

Dating Zuko, she still lives in the Fire Nation Palace. I couldn't bear the pain, seeing our landmarks of happiness turn to anguish, so I left. The Earth Kingdom is my home now.

After she left me, I tried living in the Fire Nation Palace because of my duties as Avatar; I wasn't very successful.

In the start of separation, I was emotionless and indifferent about everything. I think I was still in shock or deep denial, but the shock transformed to anger.

I was angry at her betrayal and the way she just left me. Bottling up my anger, I nearly attacked Zuko, almost creating another war. People say I had a brief mental episode, technically, I went crazy.

I was walking into the throne room, looking for Zuko to discuss worldly issues. He was talking to an advisor about what to get Katara for a gift, and I just broke.

With wind to increase my speed, I started charging and propelling sharp rocks at him, but he saw it coming, burning them to a crisp. I avoided all the guards, jumping over them or trapping them with earthbending. Using the rocks as a distraction, I earthbended a knife into my grasp and continued my onslaught, but something blocked my path. I was so close to Zuko, but someone jumped right in front of him.

It was Katara. She was in her attack stance, water in her palms.

Stopping in my tracks, I immediately dropped the knife. I can still hear its clanging sound on the marble floor. I couldn't believe my actions.

We were mere inches apart, and I just stared into her eyes, filled with hurt and anger. It was the closest I had been to her in days. She still looked beautiful, but the cold look in her eyes marring her face. The cold look was for me.

I fell to my hands and knees in front of her, tears falling to the floor; my heart beating in painful gasps. I would never hurt her…no matter how many times she had stabbed my broken heart in the past few days. Relaxing her stance, she tried to help me up, but I swatted her hand away. I didn't deserve such mercy or pity; I was disgusted with myself.

We had just broken up, and she risked her life for him without a single thought. The lone act tore me apart. It was recommended I leave for the sake of peace, and it's one of the reasons I now live in the Earth Kingdom. I can't help but think, she was my forever girl…no more.

After the anger and my attempted assault, the realization hit me. Since my awakening from my icy prison, I was alone in the world without her. I'm still crying my heart out.

Most days I think about the past, my happiness, even though I'm not supposed to; it just brings more pain and tears. I try to piece together the reasons of why she would leave me or how she fell out of love with me and with another. I think of when my heart first felt that weak pang of hurt…the first stage of betrayal.

Flashback

We were at a banquet in the Fire Nation Palace to celebrate a year of peace since the war. Well, it was almost a year of peace.

Three weeks ago, Mai, Zuko's beloved, was killed by an assassin hired by an Earth Kingdom official, seeking revenge for his dead family. The assassin was killed, and the official put in prison for a life sentence.

It took all my wisdom and power to prevent a war between the two nations. Zuko was furious and heartbroken. She was all he had left since Uncle Iroh died.

Ever since that day, Katara spent more time with the Fire Lord, trying to heal his wounds and hurts. I didn't mind; she was just being the compassionate and caring person she always was. It was one of the reasons I fell in love with her.

I had been talking with Sokka, the new Southern Watertribe leader, about current events down in the South Pole and his relationship with Suki. Apparently, everything was going great. He congratulated me on preventing another war and my almost one-year relationship with his sister. Just at the mention of her name, I grinned happily like a fool. I searched among the crowds for the famous hair loopies to call her over.

My eyes scanned the crowd and noticed the full moon in the diamond sky. A mirror image of the white orb was in the pond, and the moonlit glow bounced off the water, illuminating two people holding hands in the garden. I squinted at the shadowed couple, sitting on the bench, and I realized who they were. I just stared unbelievingly, inhaling sharp breaths.

Sokka gave me a curious look for my irregular breathing. He traced my line of sight, instantly boiling in anger. He was never really friends with a certain member of Team Avatar…and never would.


Katara was sitting on our bench in the garden, holding hands with the Fire Lord.

She was leaning closer to his face kissing his…

cheek.

I calmed slightly, but the shock was still there. She had just given our simple gesture of love to Zuko. A simple gesture, I thought, only meant for me. An act, back in the old days, that showed I wasn't just a friend to her anymore; I was something more. My heart ached slightly as a feather of doubt floated to my mind.

What if? No ,Katara isn't growing an intimate liking to Zuko. Is she? She would never…would she?

My heart threw the doubts away, reasoning I was just jealous. But my mind was screaming warnings, telling me I should confront her about this. My mind and heart were raging in a constant battle. My heart rationalized she was just comforting him and asked if I really trusted her or not. My mind argued that Katara would never do such a thing to insult a symbol of our love.

My heart won, and I felt ashamed for feeling jealous and possessive. I calmed Sokka down with my heart's reasoning, and he followed my lead. He and I both trusted Katara with our lives and knew she wouldn't do anything to hurt me.

Unknowingly, her actions would soon wound me and Sokka…forever.

End of Flashback

I look back and think of the phrase, "Love is blind."

I always thought the phrase was rubbish, and now I think it's the absolute truth.

It all happened right in front of my eyes, and I could've done something…anything to stop it. Damn love.

Love blinded me and covered my wounds with just minor wrappings. Love fogged all logical reason and filled me with undying trust, leaving me to grope in the darkness. Those temporary wrappings covered the hurts until it couldn't stop the flood of pain. Not until then was I able to see.

But what I saw…something that I could never be prepared for…the sight that stung my eyes with tears and left me on my knees, my heart slowly plunging into a fiery oblivion.

TO BE CONTINUED…..

A/N: This was a really hard chapter to write. Some parts I particularly like and some I think are too plain and weak like the flashback and the dream scene. I love Kataang so it was hard thinking of Zutara. I had to ask questions like "How do you make Zutara believable? How does someone fall out of love with Mr. Right?" I hope there wasn't any "leaps of faith", and I hope you guys like it! Please REVIEW! I encourage constructive criticism, especially on dialogue for keeping character. REVIEW! THANKS!

A/N 2: Next chapter probably be up in a week. Btw there are 4 stages of betrayal…the 4th being the greatest one.