"Damn it you two!" Toph jumped back onto the grass where her vision was at least muffled. She was walking back towards Zuko and Katara to see if they had worked it all out. "Sex doesn't fix everything!"

-later that day-

Suki sipped her tea at the edge of the garden's pond and looked at Katara who was grinning like a love struck idiot. "Toph?"

"Don't even ask," Toph chucked a piece of bread into the pond. The turtle ducks picked at it lazily.

"Is she alright though?"

Toph glanced in Katara's direction, "yeah. She's alright. Just thinking about Hotman." She slurped back her tea and flicked Katara's head. "You should be thinking about Aang." Katara glared at her. "Come on sugar queen. Aang needs to know about you and Sparky's rendezvous. No details jus sub points. You know: I love him not you. That type of basic stuff."

"I agree with Toph, Katara. You need to let Aang know."

Katara stood up abruptly. "I'm going for a walk."

Zuko nearly ran down the halls surprising himself with the energy he had. He had just came from a council meeting and spirits was he tired. It was now time to confront Mai. Katara isn't the only one with an obstacle to tackle.

He smoothed his hair and fixed his top knot, "Mai?" Knocking on the door slightly Zuko entered to find Mai sitting upon a love seat gazing out the window. The window that had a perfect view of the sparring field. Zuko quickly took notice of her collection of knives out and open on her bed and gulped.

"Finally here to break up with me, Zuko?" Zuko took a small step forward, "don't come near me unless you want one of those impaled into your chest." She pointed towards her knives and then stood up with the grace of a noble woman, "then again, I guess your little water peasant lover would just heal you right up."

Zuko looked at Mai and had realized that she was crying, "Mai. I'm sorry."

"Are you?" She walked towards the bed and allowed her fingers to hover over each knife in examination.

"Of course. Mai you know I love you. Just, just not how I once did. And I didn't want you to find out like this."

"Oh. You didn't? Then why the hell are you making love to her in plane damn sight?" She turned and threw a tiny dagger just missing Zuko's head.

He took a sharp intake and prayed to the spirits he would get out of this alive. "I didn't really think about it at the moment Mai. I just guess I lo-"

Zing."Another dagger. "Don't you dear tell me that. You came here to apologize right? You didn't just come here to tell me that you, that you actually love her?"

Zuko couldn't say anything. He just looked at her sadly, "Mai…I'm sorry."

"Get out."

"But Mai you have to understand that you and I-"

"Get out!"

Katara roamed the halls of the palace as she let random thoughts roam her own mind. She was getting tired off her Aang problem. She needed a distraction, preferably a non Zuko one because nothing gets solved in Zuko distraction. She giggled at the thought. "What's so funny?"

She turned excepting Zuko but found Aang instead. "Nothing Aang. I was just in deep thought," She can never avoid him can she?

"Katara?"

"Yes Aang." She turned to look at him and leaned against a nearby wall.

Without really knowing it, her pose became very seductive. The heat was unbearable to the water tribe native so her clothes were the most risqué. She wore a red flowing skirt with splits reaching to the top of her thighs and a red tube top that left nothing to the imagination. Aang couldn't believe that he was involved with such a beautiful woman.

He walked closer to her smiling, "I was wondering if you wanted to go do something together?" He leaned beside her so wrapped up in the vision of her body that he didn't notice the frown on her face.

"Aang," she sighed and made to step away when Aang stopped her.

He heard the frustration in her voice. "Katara, why are you always avoiding me? I thought you wanted to be with me." He went for her hand but she flinched and moved it away. "Katara?" He was whining and it was becoming irritatingly obvious of how young he was.

"Aang. Listen to me." She leaned against the wall yet again in defeat and placed her hands on her hips. "I think it's time that you understand how I feel about you. I don't li-"

She opened her eyes wide in shock. Aang had just kissed her. And still is! He had leaned upon her pressing his chest into hers and forcing his tongue down her throat. She was in shock and couldn't move. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Katara pushed Aang off of herself, "Aang!" She looked at him with disbelief. "What do you think you're doing?"

Aang looked at her in confusion, "I'm your boyfriend. I thought I was allowed-"

"No!"

"I'm not allowed?"

Katara slapped her head in frustration. "No, you're not my boyfriend. Aang, you and I were never together. I know you thought we would be together after the invasion and after the war, but things are different now."

Aang looked at her, eyes full of sadness. This is why she held it off. He was still so young. A heart break like this could be devastating. He hung his head and that looked up at her. "How are things different. I'm a little older now. Would that mean anything?"

"Aang," she tried to make up an excuse. She didn't think it was time to tell him about Zuko just yet. "Aang, my father wants me to marry soon. I'm 17. I was supposed to marry last year but you know how it goes: end of war fixups."

Aang looked at her slightly confused, "so you can't be with me unless, I don't know, we're married?"

Katara scrunched up her face at the thought, "yeah…." sure. "I'm not really allowed to be with anyone Aang." She looked at him praying to the spirits he would believe her. Technically this was true but it wasn't like she was sticking to the rules. "No hard feelings?"

"I guess not." He smiled and held her hands, "I guess it's just friends for now."

"Oh Aang! Thank you" She threw her arms around his neck. That was for easier than she could ever imagine. Far easier than Zuko could ever imagine.

Katara twirled around and walked back down the hall waving goodbye to Aang who sadly turned away himself. She was so relieved that nothing huge came out of it she didn't realize that someone was coming towards her a bit too angry. "What the hell was that?"

Katara looked up to see a seriously pissed Zuko. "What do you mean. I just got Aang off of my back."

"No you got Aang 'the boyfriend' of your back and you replaced him with potential fiancé!" iAnd after I just broke things with Mai./i

Katara sighed, "Zuko relax. The only way he is going to become my fiancé is if my father gave him permission, or over my dead body." Zuko seemed to unwind. "And besides," she walked towards him in a seductive manner. Swinging her hips slow and giving him the sexiest smirk this side of the Fire Nation. "There's only one man that can warm not only my heart, but my bed." He gripped her waist and kissed her smiling. Pushing her against the wall they started yet another affair.

"Katara!" Katara pushed Zuko's body away from her as she searched for her underwear. Sokka sounded like he was just down the hall. "Katara where are you?"

"Coming," Zuko threw on a shirt and passed her, her skirt. "Be there in a minute Sokka!" She giggled as Zuko struggled to get his pants on. She kissed his cheek and ran out to meet her brother."What's up?"

Sokka spun around to look at his baby sister. He cocked his head, "what's up with the hair?"

"Nothing." She ran her fingers through it quickly mentally blaming Zuko, "so what's with all the hollering?"

"I got a message from Dad!"

"You did? Sokka give it!" She reached for the scroll she had just noticed Sokka was holding. "What does it say?"

Sokka laughed at his sister's childish antics, "hold on, hold on. We got to get everybody around for this one. It has his Chief seal as well as King Bumi's so it may not just be a personal matter." Katara sighed and wrinkled her nose.

"Fine."

"Yup so round up Zuko, and Aang. Suki and Toph are waiting out in the garden."

"Now can we hear the news please?" Katara set across from Aang next to Zuko waiting impatiently. She was interrupted from a very busy encounter.

"Calm down sweetness. It's probably just your dad listing off potential betrothals." Toph laughed at Katara's scoff. She heard Sokka rip the envelope open and his heart beat remained steady, "so who's Katara going to marry Snoozles?"

Katara glared at Toph, not like she could see it. Sokka sighed, "Looks like vacation time is over guys. I'm needed back at the North Pole so dad can go talk business with Bumi."

"Great," Toph took notice of Zuko's sad little heartbeat as he unnoticeably stroked Katara's hear.

"Don' t worry Zuko. Only Suki, Aang and I will be leaving." He read through the letter some more, "but there is some information on here bout you Kat."

"Well let's hear it."

"Uh…dad's picking our your fiancé as we speak."

"What!" Katara gripped the letter from him. Toph nearly jumped from the heartbeat Katara was giving off and didn't help that Zuko and Aang's were going erratic as well. "This is not fair!"

"Well you are 17. You should've gotten married last year but nooooo you wanted a little more freedom and dad let you have. Heck Katara, he is even letting you choose your husband, but you know the rules. Before your 18th birthday you should be wed. So unless you got somebody right now, dad's going to have to use his stand by."

Toph rolled her eyes, "how romantic, Marrying a standby?"

Katara looked at Zuko tears nearly falling from her eyes. He wiped them away smiling at her, "it's going to be alright Katara. I promise." Zuko looked at Sokka, "I have a proposition for your father. As you might have realized Chief Hakoda did not call for me in this trade. We know your father thinks highly of me, but the water nation has yet to trust me."

Sokka looked at him slightly confused, "…go on."

"What if I marry Katara? As a peace gesture combining our Nations?"

Katara looked at him with tears slowly streaming down her face and into her smile, "you would do that for me? Really?" He nodded slowly and smiled softly at her. Their eyes holding a secret I love you. She flung herself around his neck, "O Zuko! Thank you!"

He laughed fully breathing in the smell of her hair. Toph smirked at the two love birds.

"It's about time don't you think," Suki nodded as Toph whispered in her ear. She was pleased, very pleased.

Sokka blinked in recognition, "Oh! You lot are serious?" Suki elbowed him and gave him a glare. "Well I've always liked you Zuko it's just all a bit sudden you know?" He laughed, " so all we have to do now is tell dad and-"

"I'll marry Katara." Toph nearly earth bended Aang into the spirit realm.

"Uh, thanks buddy but Zuko kind of just asked. And you're not fully an adult yet anyway so…" Sokka scratched his head. "No need right? I mean what 14 year old wants to be tied down right now anyway?"

"But I'm the Avatar. There just has to be an exception." Aang looked at Sokka defiantly, "besides I can love Katara more than Zuko could. He's never even been with her like I have."

Not noticing the smirk on Toph's face Sokka contemplated the situation. "Well at the moment I am acting as father to Katara," he ignored her glare, "and there is a possibility dad may like you more. No offense Zuko." Zuko sighed in frustration. "Either way dad has to confirm, but Katara it is all up to you. I mean you will be living with this person for the rest of your life. So who do you choose?"

Before Katara could get a word out Aang jumped up and shouted, "he's still with Mai!" He pointed an accusing finger at Zuko.

Zuko stood up glaring at him as he grit his teeth, "Mai and I just had a fall out. So I am free to be with whomever."

"Than go find some Fire Lady."

"Maybe I don't want a fire lady." Steam was erupting from Zuko's hand. "Maybe I actually want to marry Katara."

Aang picked up his staff and Zuko threw off his robe. Before they could charge at each other Toph shoved them to the ground. "O shut up you big babies."

"Don't you think Katara has a say in this," Suki looked at her husband. "Sweetie you two need to talk about this. Now."

Sokka sighed, you're right." He handed the envelope to Suki and motioned for Katara. She stood up shakily a little distressed by Aang's actions. Did he really think she was going to marry him? "Alright Kat. Spill. You know Zuko and Mai were a serious thing. What's going on?"

Tears poured down her eyes, "Sokka I'm sorry." She threw her arms around her brother, "I love him. I fell in love with a fire nation spoiled lovable prince. And I didn't tell you."

He rubbed her back soothingly like dad used to, "It's alright baby sis." He kissed her forehead, "really. I don't care who you marry as long as you love them because I know my sister doesn't fall for idiots. Except for that one time you fell for Jet." He grinned at her as she swatted him over the head. "In all seriousness, Zuko is a good man and I know dad would think so too. So is he your choice?"

"Yes. With my entire heart yes."

He sighed happily and kissed her forehead, "fine. Go get your man, yuck." He laughed at her scrunched face.

When they got back to the group Katara saw Zuko on the ground clutching his side, "Zuko? Are you alright?"

Sokka looked at his wife and then at Toph, "where's Aang?"

"He left," Toph placed her hand on the ground and closed her eyes in concentration. "And it feels like he's leaving the Fire Nation so there goes you lots ride to the Southern Water Tribe Snoozles."

"Aw man. Boat it is."

"Zuko?" Katara bended a stream of water from the nearby pond. Zuko moved his hand to expose a singed shirt and burnt skin. Katara hissed painfully as she drew in a shock breath and shook her head.

Zuko flinched as Katara began to heal him. "I can't believe he attacked me like that."

"Quit your whining Hotman." Toph picked at her fingernails gingerly, "you just took away the girl of his dreams you think he's gonna be all peaceful monk right now?"

"Well technically Zuko you're not her fiancé yet. You need a necklace and to speak to my father, but after that you're in the clear."

Zuko smiled, "all I have to do is talk to Chief Hakoda." He reached into his robe and pulled out and object wrapped in red silk, "I've already got the necklace." He smiled at Katara, and opened it. Inside laid the most beautiful think Katara had ever seen. A soft silk sheer purple ribbon was strung threw a large flat pearl. On the pearl there was a moon carved in great detail and a dragon holding the moon protectively. On the top of the pearl was a sapphire and on the bottom a ruby.

-in other news-

Aang had arrived in the North Pole flustered. It only took him 4 days and that's only because he stressed poor Appa who was now sleeping in a pile of snow. "Sorry about that buddy," Aang scratched the giant bison's head.

"Avatar Aang?" Hakoda spotted Aang on his usual nightly stroll. "I didn't expect you hear so soon. I was just asking Master Paku when shall I expect your hawk." He laughed gently and embraced the young Avatar.

"Good evening Chief Hakoda. I came as quickly as I can. Suki and your son are closing up matters in the Fire Nation than they will make their way here later if that's all right."

"That's fine. That's fine. No rush." He smiled warmly and continued with his walk.

Aang joined him. "Actually sir I was wondering if I could ask you for something."

"Oh?" Hakoda waved at a few villagers who were heading back in for the night, "and what would you like young Avatar."

"Your daughter's hand."

review please. I may not all ways reply but I read them. And please tell me what you think because I'm not very happy with it. It's a rushed job =/