DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECIVE OWNERS.

"Love"

1.) a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

Moonlight rays filtered through the cracks in their earth tent, serving as a rough barricade from the outside world. With the diminutive light supply, Zuko gazed tenderly down at his beloved, who slept soundly, unaware of his watching her, of his adoring expression of love for her.

Zuko smiled slightly as he studied Katara while she lay in the serene arms of slumber. Her hair splayed out against his pale arm, the dark tint of those beautiful, thick, lively tresses contrasting greatly with the pale color of his arm. His fingers carefully smoothed a strand behind her ear and out of her sleeping eyelids. His thumb hovered above her soft- as- silk skin for a moment longer than it should have as an idea formed in his mind.

Fumbling for the pocket of his shirt, he retrieved the trinket he had been withholding, keeping it from her until the time was right. Maybe he should practice before he actually did the deed… maybe that would make this a bit easier… He was scared out of his mind that she'd reject him, scoff at him, scorn him. She said she loved him, but... was it enough? Was it enough to overcome the prejudices of the people that didn't believe in them; the hateful, spiteful words that were sure to haunt them?

Taking a deep breath, Zuko gazed down at Katara affectionately, imagining her with her beautiful sapphire irises open, staring at him with the same love and devotion that mirrored the expression in his eyes. Agni, how he loved her, how he wanted to love her for eternity… no, longer than eternity.

He whispered his words into the darkness, not expecting anyone to possibly hear him. "Katara… you… you are everything to me. Absolutely everything. My life used to revolve around nothing but power and position, but you… you made me a better man; you helped heal my blind eyes, heal me in a way that no one had ever succeeded in accomplishing before. You helped me see the world in a whole new way. And, somewhere along the road to redemption, I… I fell in unconditional, hopeless love with you; which is exactly why I'm here before you now… asking you... if you'll marry me." He finished the speech he had worked on for months, perfecting it down to the very last word. He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for her; she would have nothing but the best.

He didn't notice that those gorgeous, enticing blue eyes had groggily opened in curiosity until his confession was made. He heard a slight intake of breath; his eyes snapped towards her.

A smile played on her lips, eyes swam with happy tears. She lay bathed in moonlight in the middle of the night, eyes groggy from sleep and yet so awake with surprise at the same time, hair untidy from her slumber… and yet Zuko had never seen a creature so perfect and captivating.

"Yes," she breathed, love evident in the way she pronounced the word. Zuko could've melted. Hands shaking visibly, he slid the trinket onto her third finger of her left hand. It wasn't much; they were in the middle of a war after all, it wasn't as though he could afford a massive diamond for her to wear nor could he create a suitable betrothal necklace for her in such short time. But, for some reason, the small, seemingly meaningless ring of metal, which Zuko had found during his search of the forest sometime back, seemed perfect for her, for them. This relationship was still new and fragile, still unknown to the world. Never before had their type of relationship existed.

The ring sparkled in the moonlight and, the closer Katara looked, the easier it was to see the word pressed into the ring, one tiny word written in rough, yet eloquent, calligraphy. Zuko must have had a rough time trying to perfect the lettering.

Katara and Zuko both said the word at the exact time, "Destiny." They smiled at each other through their tears, realizing that destiny, the will of the Gods, the Fates- whatever superior body lay on the fringes of reality- had brought them together for a reason…

Wrenching herself awake, Katara gasped desperately, trying to catch her breath and slow her racing heart back to its usual tempo.

Once the initial shock of the dream had subsided, the waterbender's eyes drifted towards the firebender she had dreamed so affectionately of, her gaze sweeping across his lithe form, watching in fascination as his chest rose and fell in sync with his breaths. Then, as quickly as the curiosity had spiked, she remembered who it was that she was gazing so intently at. Disgust and shame racked her body; tears filling her eyes, she swiftly turned her head, towards that of the boy who was in love with her, who would possibly always be in love with her.

Guilt surged within her as she stared at Aang, at his unconscious form, drinking in the blissful look of contentment that hung upon his face. She knew she couldn't feel the things she had felt in her dream for someone else other than Aang; this was her obligation to the world, to the boy who would save this world. She wouldn't allow herself to become infatuated with someone who would never love her back anyway. Forgetting Zuko, and the vivid dream, would be te best course of action for her. Being with Aang was safe, comfortable even; she was doing the right thing...

Her unattainable subconscious thoughts locked away into the darkest part of her core, the truth of reality entered into Katara's mind once more. She frowned, and her eyes flickered shut for a mere moment, a yawn threatening to tear through her throat. Despite her body's frantic need for sleep, her mind was wide- awake and she knew she would not make it back to sleep again anytime soon.

*****I changed the ending around from the first time I posted this. Hope you liked it.

Thanks guys,

~Moonlit- Silhouette