A/N: Eh hee….grins evilly When did I ever say there wasn't going to be an epilogue? You guys won't have to wait for the sequel to see how this turns out, but since you're so excited about the sequel (which makes me excited!), I'll give you guys a small tidbit at the end! Thank you guys so much for supporting through this long and wonderful journey. I've had so much fun writing this, and I hope you've had fun reading it. Well then, without further ado…I'll let you read…But probably most of you have skipped this, and just read on….;;;

Disclaimer: Me: Nope. I don't own Avatar. But, why do you guys keep on asking?

Lawyers: boredly We're waiting for a slip up, or for the dimensions to switch….

Me: 0o;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Reviewers: I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU GUYS! And I'm sorry for the scare!

Epilogue: Like Flame

He had come into my life like a flame, timid at first, but growing until it lit up my entire world. Now, the flame that had once roared with such passion is small and meek, smothered by the ashes of the two worlds we had come from and of what we had once been. Because, we both know in our hearts that we will never be the same again. Those seven days, though fleeting and all too short, had left a mark on us forever. I wished with all my heart that the fire that had been between us, could have continued to grow. But, such things are stupid to ask of fate. For, though everyone knows love can overcome all obstacles, can it overcome fate itself? Love had burned away our preconceptions of each other, the thoughts and images that had been engraved in our minds. We learned that a people, whether from a tribe or a nation, is made up of individuals. And though two peoples may hate each other, it does not mean that two individuals from two different worlds cannot fall in love. We know this better than anyone; because, at the very core, stripped of our bending and nationalities, we're the same. And I wonder for a moment, what would happen if I jumped once more into the sky? Would he catch me? Would he hold me in his arms and help me to turn back the clock and destroy the barrier separating us?

But, such things are pointless to dream of. Our fates, after all, can never be altered…our paths can never converge…fate has dictated so.

Katara jerked her head up, awoken from her thoughts by something trying to pull apart her clenched hands. She looked down to see Momo was the culprit.

"What is it Momo?" Katara whispered, trying hard not to draw attention to herself.

Momo paid no mind, simply continued tugging and prying and squeaking in frustration at her hands.

Katara giggled softly and bent down. "Alright, you win. Let's see what the prince has given me." Katara opened her hands and looked down.

"…My mother's necklace…" Katara choked softly, tears resurfacing. He had given it back to her. Katara jerked around, looking desperately behind. There. The ship was still in sight.

Maybe, just maybe.

She clenched her hands shut once more. "Aang! Turn Appa around!"

"What!" Aang yelled.

"Please, turn around!"

"Why!" Aang and Sokka both exclaimed.

"Please! My mother's necklace!"

Maybe, just maybe.

Aang nodded in understanding, thinking that Katara wanted to rescue her mother's necklace. Well, technically, she hadn't lied. She had only said her 'mother's necklace'…

Sokka was looking at her hard, seeming unsure of what to believe, what to think.

In no time at all they were almost over Zuko's ship. Katara stood, and as she tied the necklace around her neck with steeled determination and faith, the world seemed to go by in slow motion. She took one more look back, her hair rippling in the wind, and saw Aang and Sokka, both of whom were looking very alarmed, and trying to reach her before…

Katara simply smiled once more at them and fell into the sky…

Maybe, just maybe.

"Zuko!"

Zuko turned angrily to his uncle, he had know it had to happen sometime, sooner than later. He waited for his uncle to reprimand him on his complete lack of focus like before, his shoulders slumped in irritation…But….It never came…Instead his uncle just kept looking wide eyed up at the sky, his tea cup rolling away, seeping ginseng tea. Zuko stared perplexed at his uncle for a while, he had never seen him act like this…This was stranger than normal…which was absolutely saying something. Then he got the memo.

"Zuko!"

Zuko blinked, the echoes of Katara in his mind seemed to be growing in volume. Odd….wait a minute…Zuko looked up and felt his eyes widen. He had only one thing to say: "Aw, crud!", and threw up his arms.

Katara floated down, buffeted by the wind, tears creating daylight stars in the sky. Zuko caught her out of the sky, wrapping his arms around her, the momentum she had gained causing him to spin and teeter around before falling with a soft, but heavy, 'thump' to the ground.

Zuko, breathing hard, looked up into Katara's shimmering eyes. "What-"

"I forgot to tell you something," she exclaimed joyfully. "I love you!"

Zuko stared at her for a moment, then smiled warmly. Taking her face in one hand, he leaned in and whispered: "I love you, too." And with that, he finished the kiss they had almost shared days ago...both of their thoughts being that it was better than they had ever dreamed…

A/N: Well? What do ya think? Still want a sequel? Well, as promised, here's your tidbit of Learning to Coexist Part 2: Racing Fire

"Okay, run this by me…one more time," Sokka growled.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled exasperated. "This will be the seventh time!"

"Well, humor me, because I still don't get it!"

Zuko and Aang sighed in frightening unison, as the siblings banter continued. Iroh happily sipped his tea, completely content with the world.

"SOKKA, FOR GOODNESSES' SAKE, TRY TO UNDERSTAND!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, mustering all his self control to prevent himself from banging his head repeatedly against the table. Aang just absentmindedly played with Momo, feeling strangely hollow and sad. He should be happy, he had always felt Zuko was a good person deep down and Katara was an incredible person, and both deserved each other…so then why did he feel so bad?

The fight continued, fluctuating in volume, with soft threats and screamed insults. Zuko just took to looking around, trying hard not to blow what little fuse he had left…though it was really, really tempting. He just happened to catch Aang's face, as Katara let slip a particularly loud 'But I love him!'. Zuko felt his shoulders slump, this was not going to be easy…