Aang stood on the palace steps while the rest of his friends headed inside. He couldn't go with them. He physically couldn't get his legs to move. He felt like his own heart had been ripped out and drained to be used in the sacrifice.

To him, the world stopped spinning when Nuka made his request for Katara's hand. In screaming silence, Aang prayed that Hakoda would laugh and turn down an arrange marriage. That was something the Northern Water Tribe did, not the South. It was outdated, preposterous, and chauvinistic. Hakoda's own mother had run away from a loveless marriage.

But Hakoda didn't laugh. He didn't put Nuka in his place. Instead, he told him he'd see what he could do. What did that mean? Did that mean that he was actually considering it?

Aang was suddenly transported back to his balcony in the Northern Air Temple. The sun was setting, and it was his favorite time of the day to meditate. The weather was warm despite being in the mountains, and it almost felt like he was with his people again. A squawk from a messenger hawk interrupted his mediation, and he opened his eyes to see the bird in front of him. He carefully removed the letter and fed the bird a few nuts as a reward. Then, Momo chased it off trying to get back his food.

Aang recognized the writing immediately. It was Sokka's signature, sloppy scrawl. A smile danced upon Aang's lips as he unrolled the scroll.

Dear Aang,

I hope this letter finds you, wherever in the world you may be. An evil spirit has attacked the Southern Water Tribe and injured some of our own. We are lost and have no idea how to handle a spirit. Please come. We need your help.

I've also sent letters to Toph and Zuko. Perhaps the gaang can have a reunion!

Let me know if you can come. If not, please send us suggestions on how to get rid of it.

See ya soon buddy,

Sokka

Aang didn't even think about replying to the letter. He grabbed his staff and a few other items as fast as he could. He told an aged Momo to look after the Air Acolytes as he hopped onto Appa's head and yelled, "Yip yip."

While flying, he daydreamed about what it would be like to see Katara again. Afterall, Sokka said they would have a reunion. Surely she would be there. Would they fight? Would she run into his arms and tell him how much she had missed him? Would he babble like a fool when he tried to talk to her? No, he couldn't do that. He spent the rest of the flight practicing things to say to her.

The next thing he knew, a crowd had gathered before him as they were landing on the fluffy snow. It was his usual greeting wherever he went, but it still surprised him when it happened. He could never fully get used to the attention. A guard greeted him and told him about the Council meeting that was currently taking place. They quickly ran to the palace.

After being announced, he walked into the room and immediately scanned the table for her. He quickly noticed that there were two empty seats beside Sokka, and he could briefly see a flash of blue exiting out the door across the room. He had missed her by seconds. His heart sank to his stomach in disappointment.

Suddenly, a loud laugh brought Aang back to the present. He was still leaning against a pillar at the top of the steps, unable to get his legs to cooperate. The crowd of about thirty people had vanished while he was in his daydream. Nuka and a few of the other hunters were the only ones left. They were laughing as they poked the dead animal.

Aang shuddered at the thought of harassing a dead animal. The spirits should've gone after them.

That and his concern for Katara was almost too much for Aang to bear. Impulsively, Aang stood up straight, called out to Nuka, and waved him over. Nuka's head snapped in Aang's direction. He must have thought that him and his friends were alone. He quickly said goodbye to the other men and headed up the stairs to the palace where Aang was standing. "Hello Avatar Aang," he said proudly and bowed.

Aang hadn't expected his greeting to be so smooth. At the feast the other night, he could hardly say hello to Aang. He made a mental note about it. "Nuka, is it?" He asked despite knowing exactly what Nuka's name was.

"Yes, it is," Nuka beamed at Aang like he couldn't believe that he was talking to the Avatar. If only he knew, Aang thought to himself.

Aang wanted to roll his eyes at the man's giddiness, but he managed to hold it back. He was used to this kind of flattery by now. Instead, he said, "That's a pretty impressive kill there." His own voice sounded foreign to him. He never imagined he'd be saying those words.

"It sure is a beast!"

"How did you manage to take it down?" Aang asked as if he was a hunter himself. Honestly, he didn't care about how Nuka managed to kill the animal. He just wanted to spend a few moments with the man that could possibly be marrying his Forever Girl. Aang wanted to know more about him.

He wanted to know his competition.

Nuka eagerly gave Aang the play-by-play of how he took down the giant buffalo yak, but Aang wasn't listening to a single word. After a few words, Aang knew everything that he needed to know about the man. He was cocky, self-absorbed, and disgusting. Katara would never marry a man like him. She wanted and deserved a man that was more down-to-Earth... like himself.

Or so he thought. Then, distant memories of when they were younger began to swim into Aang's mind. Katara had a thing for the bad boys. She was always blushing around guys like Jett, and she always regretted it. Suddenly, Aang wasn't feeling so confident.

He felt his heart plummet at the idea of her marrying someone that didn't deserve her.

It should be him asking her father for her hand, in private of course. But he was too late. It was too late to make her trust him again, to forgive him. He had wasted so many years avoiding her because of his mistake. Now, all he he needed was more time.

From the little Aang had seen of Hakoda and Nuka, he could tell that Hakoda liked the man. He possibly liked Nuka more than he had initially liked a twelve year old Aang. Hakoda had always been welcoming to Aang, but he was sure that it was because Aang had saved the world.

Aang internally shuddered as he remembered the first time he saw Hakoda after their break up. It was a meeting in the Fire Nation, and the older man stared at him with his ocean blue eyes the entire time. He was hostile in the beginning, but it lessened over time. Hakoda had even told Aang that he was welcome in the South Pole anytime the last time they had met.

Now, Aang has wished that he had always been on Hakoda's good side. It would make it easier for Aang to try to steal Katara back. But Aang knew that he broken Hakoda's only daughter's heart, and he wasn't going to forget about it anytime soon.

When Nuka had finally finished telling his side of the story, Aang asked a question he was dying to know the answer to. "So, you want to marry the princess?"

"Of course! Everyone wants to marry her," the man told him nonchalantly. He could have at least acted like he liked her, Aang scoffed in his mind.

"Why didn't you just ask her?"

"Katara is known for playing hard to get. So hard that most men give up trying, but not me. I figured she just needed a grand gesture." There was that cockiness again.

Aang had to keep himself from punching Nuka in the face. He wanted more answers, and hurting the man would make that harder. So instead, he asked, "A grand gesture?"

Nuka shrugged like it was no big deal. "Yeah, you know. Girls love them."

That comment had Aang seeing red. Katara wasn't like most girls, and if Nuka knew her at all, he'd know that. Katara hated surprises. She liked to know everything, especially if it involved her. She was, without a doubt, completely embarrassed and angry at Nuka's "grand gesture."

"Hmm," Aang pretended to ponder this assumption. "I wish you the best of luck with that."

"Thank you, Avatar." Nuka replied with another bow. After a second, Nuka asked, "Hey, aren't you and Katara really good friends?"

Friends? Aang thought to himself. Were they even considered anything at this point? Oh, how he wished they were something. Anything. "Yes," Aang answered while trying to keep his face as neutral as possible.

"Could you put in a good word for me?"

Aang couldn't hold back any longer. The fake niceties were over. He had gotten the information he wanted, and now it was time to have some fun. "No, I'm sorry."

Nuka was visibly shocked. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open. Clearly, that was not the reply he was expecting. "W-What? Why not?"

In a smooth, calm voice, Aang replied, "Because I want to marry her."

Nuka blinked at Aang's declaration for a few seconds before asking, "You want to marry her?" It was as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yes," Aang answered in a confident voice. Then, he fondly continued. "I've been in love with her since I was twelve."

Nuka narrowed his ocean blue eyes at Aang. "Then how come I've never seen you in the South Pole before?"

"We broke up three years ago," Aang confessed without hesitation. He was surprised Nuka hadn't heard the story through gossip and rumors. Aang also wanted to add that it was his biggest regret, but he didn't.

"Oh, wow," Nuka said in disbelief. "Is that why you're here now?"

Keeping is expression unfazed, Aang answered, "Partially. I'm also here to get rid of that dark spirit."

At the mention of the spirit, Nuka's entire demeanor changed. He stood up taller, his eyes got visibly darker, and he spoke more defensively. "Well, then may the best man win."

That was strange, Aang thought to himself. Shouldn't Nuka want to get rid of the spirit as well? Isn't that why he killed the buffalo yak?

"Yes," Aang said finally smiling. "May he."

After Aang's confrontation with Nuka, Aang entered the palace foyer to look for his friends with a small grin on his face. Surprisingly, it felt good to confront Nuka, and it felt good to finally tell someone about his true intentions.

Aang listened closely and followed the sound of voices to a room a few feet away. He peaked inside and spotted his friends. When he entered the room, he saw Suki and Mai comforting a crying Katara. His chest tightened when he saw his love in tears. Sokka and Zuko were off to the side, discussing something intensely in hushed tones.

He stood by the door for a moment unsure of what to do. In fact, he didn't even know if he should be in the room right now. He hadn't exactly been there for Katara the past few years. So, who was he to try and insert himself into her life now?

He felt as if the day they had spent together was years ago. Aang wanted to live in how perfect it was for forever, but he knew that the door may be closing on them. If he was going to make his move, it needed to be soon.

Sokka's loud voice pulled Aang from his inner thoughts. "Aang!" He shouted in relief. "There you are!"

Katara's head snapped up at the sound of his name. Their eyes met, and Katara immediately looked relieved. He didn't leave, she thought to herself. He didn't leave me.

Aang was still unsure of what to do, so he stayed quiet. Instead, it was Sokka who took charge and waved him over. "Okay everyone, we need to figure out a way to help Katara."

"Well you're the plan guy," Suki teased as she contributed to rub Katara's back gently.

"I'm not entirely sure what to do in a situation like this," Sokka admitted and he rubbed his chin between two fingers. It was true. None of them had ever faced a dilemma like this.

"I could place a travel ban on the South Pole for in humane treatment of its citizens or to protest the wedding," Zuko suggested. He meant for it to be sarcastic, but the way everyone gawked at him told him that he didn't execute his joke very well.

It was Mai that voiced everyone else's thoughts. "Sure, if you want to start another war."

Zuko blushed and held his hands up as if he was surrendering. "I was being sarcastic."

"Not very well," she commented in her monotone voice.

Growing frustrated, Zuko challenged his wife. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

"Yes," she replied coolly. "I know a nice family in the countryside that would be willing to look after you."

"She can't run away!" Sokka said as fast as he could. There was no way he was going to let his baby sister run away. He couldn't live without knowing where she was and if she was okay.

Katara gave her brother an annoyed look. "Why not?" Her voice was unusually gloomy. She was feeling sorry for herself, so most of her usual spunk was gone.

"Katara, that's just silly. Dad's not going to make you marry Nuka, and you're not going to have to run away."

Katara's eyes began to fill with tears again at the thought. In a shaking voice, she asked, "Did you not hear what he said to me? He said that he can't refuse a public proposal like that." She had never seen her dad act like that before, and she couldn't understand why he was willing to let her live a life of misery.

Sokka immediately felt horrible for making his sister cry. "We'll find a way," he told her reassuringly and looked to Zuko and Aang for help. Both of the men just shrugged. "We have to find a way."