Dear Katara,

I saw Mai today… her father was in the Capital on business and I ran into her briefly on my way out of the palace. It went about as well as you would expect. We broke up over a year ago, and she clearly hasn't forgiven me for it. She didn't say anything to me, but the look she gave me made me glad I had guards around. I can't figure out why she is still so angry though. We fought all the time when we were together, and things just weren't the same between us. We drifted apart and became totally different people during my exile. You know all this already of course, so I apologize for venting about it again. I really do appreciate that you tolerate my complaining.

Anyway, how are things with you? In your last letter you mentioned that you have been feeling really down lately. I hope things have turned around since then. You deserve to be happy, and if I can do anything to help you, please let me know. You've been such a good friend to me these past few years and I want to return the favour if I can. Where are you and Aang headed next? If you happen to be near the Fire Nation any time soon, I would love to have you both stay for a few days, if you can arrange it. I know you have said Aang has a very busy schedule, but I haven't seen either of you in ages and it would be nice to catch up in person. Not that I don't enjoy getting your letters; I would just like it if we could talk without having to wait weeks for a reply.

I wish I could come and visit you, but things in the Fire Nation are finally starting to settle, and I am hesitant to spend much time away. It's been four years though, and I feel like the people are finally becoming less cautious with their faith in me. I can't blame them; my father and grandfather were terrible people, and I can only imagine that the people of the Fire Nation are just waiting for me to turn out just like them. Honestly, sometimes I have a hard time believing I am really cut out for this at all. But my uncle and my council have all told me that the Fire Nation has been thriving, so I guess I am doing something right. I just feel like it's only a matter of time before I screw something up… you know?

There I go again, whining at you. I'm lucky you are such an empathetic person. Could you imagine what Toph would say if I told her all this? Speaking of Toph, I hear that she opened up a Metalbending school. I was surprised to hear it; she's not exactly the most patient person, so it's hard to imagine her as a teacher. Though I suppose she taught Aang well, and we both know he wasn't the easiest student. If she can survive all of his goofing off, I'm sure she can teach anybody.

I suppose I should wrap this up before I ramble on forever. I hope all is well with you, and I look forward to your next letter. Oh, and tell Aang I say hello.

All the best,

Zuko

It was a chilly day at the Southern Air Temple, and the days had been growing steadily colder since they had arrived a few weeks prior. Aang often brought them back to the Southern Temple when he wasn't travelling, so they had come to think of it as somewhat of a home. It was a lonely home however, one that consisted of merely the two of them, Appa, and Momo.

Katara sat in the outer courtyard, bundled against the brisk wind as she read her latest letter from Zuko. She had grown to eagerly await the arrival of each new letter; despite the fact he was miles away in the Fire Nation, she always felt a little less lonely when she unfurled Zuko's latest correspondence. Ironically, she preferred to read them in solitude, though that was largely due to the fact that Aang had an annoying habit of asking her how Zuko was doing every five minutes and never gave her the chance to actually find out.

Lately she had been spending less and less time with Aang in general. Ever since the end of the war he had thrown himself entirely into his duties as the Avatar, and at first Katara understood and supported him. But as the years passed, she found herself growing sad and lonely. They travelled together often, but she usually just sat alone for days on end waiting for him to solve another problem or end another dispute, and then they would return to their secluded little temple in the middle of nowhere. She felt stagnant and cut off from the world, and it was making her resentful.

She had tried several times to convey this to Aang, but her concerns always seemed to fall on deaf ears. Usually Aang would shower her with compliments or bring her gifts, not truly understanding just how trapped and alone she felt. She cared for him deeply, but that just wasn't enough for her. She wanted to find her own path, not be the sidekick on his.

Truthfully, at the end of the war she had felt as if she owed Aang a chance. It seemed like the natural thing to do at the time, and though she didn't love him then the same way he loved her, she was sure that love would grow. But it hadn't grown. Sure she loved him dearly, but not in the way that he wanted her to, and she was tired of trying to force it. She was tired of being nothing more than the 'Avatar's girlfriend', especially when she was struggling to feel invested in the relationship at all.

Katara finished reading and looked out over the horizon with a heavy sigh, wishing she could talk to Zuko in person. It was difficult to explain in a letter all the reasons she had been feeling down, but she knew that if anyone would understand, it would be him. Just like Zuko and Mai, she and Aang had drifted apart and become different people. She craved his advice on the matter, but even if she sent him a reply right away, it could be weeks before she got his. With her and Aang travelling all the time, it often took ages for messenger hawks to track them down, so letters weren't exactly the best way to have such a conversation.

Approaching footsteps brought Katara out of her thoughts, and she hastily pocketed the letter. Aang strode over to her with his typical boyish grin and sat down beside her, reaching out to take her hand. Katara pretended not to notice, feigning a shiver and curling her hands up inside of her sleeves instead. Aang frowned and retracted his hand.

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing," he asked, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth.

"Just reading a letter," Katara replied, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh? Zuko again? How is he doing?"

Katara shrugged. "Well enough. He says hello, and hopes we will come visit soon."

"Hmmm… well we're supposed to head to Ba Sing Se in a couple of days, and I'm not sure how long we will be there. But we might be able to make time after."

Katara looked over at him with a furrowed brow, annoyed. "Ba Sing Se? You didn't mention this. Why are we going there?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you? The Earth King is throwing a grand birthday party for his bear and he really wanted us there. He said it will be the party of the year."

"You mean he wants you there. I doubt he would notice if I were there or not," Katara huffed.

"That's not true! He always enjoys seeing you."

"Do we really have to go? I hate Ba Sing Se, and I really don't want to spend the whole trip standing at the edge of a crowded ballroom by myself while all those fake people fawn all over you."

"That's not… that won't happen Katara! We will have fun, I promise," Aang said, giving her a hurt look.

Katara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "That's what you always say, Aang, and it's never true. Especially not in Ba Sing Se. YOU always have fun, but I always end up alone and I am tired of it."

Aang fell silent, picking at the hem of his tunic with his fingers. Katara glanced over at him, feeling a pang of guilt at the look on his face. He looked up at her with a small, hopeful smile, but she didn't have the heart to return it. His smile faltered, and he dropped his gaze again.

"So… are you saying you want to stay here?" he prompted timidly.

Katara fell silent, thinking hard for a long while. Aang waited patiently, not wanting to push her for an answer, but she could tell he was anxious for her to speak.

"...No. I don't want to stay here Aang, and I don't want to go to Ba Sing Se either."

"Oh… okay… well maybe I could drop you somewhere along the way, and I can pick you up on the way back?" Aang suggested.

"No Aang…" Katara reached over and took his hand gently, glancing at him with a frown. "I don't want to come back. I can't do this anymore."

She could see tears welling up in his eyes, but he blinked them away. He shook his head slightly, refusing to let himself register the meaning of her words. "What do you mean?"

"Aang… you know what I mean. I… we should break up. I don't feel like myself anymore, and I haven't been happy for a long time."

He blinked away more tears, and slowly pulled his hand away from hers. "But… I love you Katara."

"I know… and I love you too, just… not the way you want me to. It's been four years Aang, and I still don't feel it the way you do. You deserve to be with someone who does, and I deserve to have the chance to walk my own path instead of standing in your shadow all the time."

Silence fell between them and neither spoke as Katara's words fully sank in. After a long while, she looked up at him again. His expression was blank, but she could tell that he was heartbroken and it made her feel awful for having caused it.

"This… has been coming for a long time, hasn't it?" he finally asked.

"Well… I think so, yes. Things haven't been great between us," Katara replied.

Aang nodded. "Yeah. I guess not. I let myself pretend everything was fine, but you're right."

"I'm sorry Aang, truly. I hate hurting you, but I think this is the best thing for both of us."

Aang nodded again, staring out at the gloomy sky in contemplation. Katara watched him silently, fighting the urge to reach out and hug him.

"So what now?" Aang asked, turning his eyes back to her.

Katara shrugged. "I think… I should go home. To the Southern Water Tribe, I mean. I'd like to see my family, and I think it will be a good place for me to get back on my feet and figure out what I want to do."

"That's a good idea. You can borrow Appa if you like, whenever you want to go. Not that… I'm not saying you have to leave right away…" Aang trailed off with a sigh.

"Thanks Aang, I appreciate it. I think… I should probably go tomorrow, if that works with you. And that way Appa can get back before you have to leave."

Aang nodded. After a moment he got to his feet, avoiding her gaze. "I'm… going to bed. I'll sleep somewhere else tonight… give you time to pack and everything. Goodnight Katara."

"Okay… goodnight Aang."

Without another word he turned and disappeared into the temple, leaving Katara alone in the growing darkness. Hot tears fell from her eyes and for a while she merely sat and cried. She hated that she had hurt Aang, and it broke her heart to see him so sad. But she also felt a strange pang of relief, and she found herself eager to start over and find herself.

As the night grew darker around her, she stood and headed inside to pack. She didn't have many belongings so it didn't take her long to finish, and soon enough she had gathered all of her things and set them aside for the morning. She took Zuko's letter out of her pocket and re-read it, deciding to send a reply before she left. She settled down at a small desk in the corner, and began to write.

Dear Zuko,

Please don't ever feel like you are whining or complaining. I like that you have become comfortable enough with me to share these things, and I am happy to be here for you when you need someone to talk to. Also, you are the best thing that has happened to the Fire Nation in over a century, so don't you dare doubt yourself. You really are your own worst critic, you know.

I'm sorry that Mai is still so cold towards you… though I can't say I am surprised. No offence, but she never struck me as a very pleasant person. If I'm being totally honest, I must admit that I am shocked you even went back to her in the first place. Though… I suppose I really can't judge you. I think we are similar in the fact that we both chose the easy, comfortable option, and they both turned out to be the wrong choice.

I'm not really sure how to say this yet, but… I broke up with Aang. You asked me if I was still feeling down, and the truth is I am, and I have been for a long time. I don't love Aang the way he wants me to, and I am so tired of being a ghost in his shadow. After the war I felt like I had such a bright future ahead of me, but I ended up being a nobody. All I do is follow the Avatar around and lurk on the sidelines while he solves problems and makes friends. I have been so lonely for so long, and I just can't do it anymore. Your letters have been the only thing keeping me sane, I think, and I am so thankful that we have become such good friends. I don't know what I would have done without you.

I think your last letter inspired me to make a change. You said that you and Mai had drifted apart and become different people, and that's exactly how I feel about Aang and I. I think seeing you write that made me realize that I couldn't keep pretending anymore. Not that I am saying you are responsible for my decision, of course, but your words opened my eyes.

Tomorrow morning I am leaving for the Southern Water Tribe. I don't know what the future holds for me now, but I think going home will be a good way to make a fresh start. I'd like to see my family and maybe help train some Waterbenders. I think it would be a good way to remind myself who I actually am, you know? I debated coming to visit you, but I know you have so much on your plate as it is, and I don't want to burden you. I feel like I am kind of a mess right now, and I can't put that on you. I really would like to take you up on your offer someday though, if it still stands. I haven't seen the Fire Nation since the end of the war, and I would like to see how it has changed.

Anyway, I should go to sleep. It's been an emotional evening, and I want to get an early start. On the bright side, our letters should get delivered faster now that I will be in once place!

Take care of yourself, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Katara

She set the letter aside to send in the morning, then took one last glance around the room for anything she might had missed. Satisfied that she had gathered all of her things, she crawled into bed, falling into a restless sleep.

The next morning dawned too soon, and Katara reluctantly dragged herself of bed as the sun rose. She rolled up the letter to Zuko, then headed out to find the messenger hawk that had brought it the day before. She found it quick enough; Momo had taken to chasing the poor bird through the halls of the temple.

"Momo!" Katara scolded. "You leave him alone!"

Momo gave her a blank stare, blinked once, and then took off in the opposite direction. Shaking her head, Katara coaxed the hawk down from the rafters and tied the letter around his leg.

"Bring this to Fire Lord Zuko in the Fire Nation Capital, please," she said, stroking the bird's feathers gently.

The hawk nuzzled her hand with his beak, let out a short cry, then took flight, quickly disappearing into the distance. She watched it leave, then returned to her room to collect her belongings. Once she had everything she returned to the outer courtyard, finding Appa already saddled and ready to go. Aang stood before him, stroking his friends nose affectionately. He didn't look up as Katara approached. She tossed her bags up into the saddle, then walked over to Aang.

"Thanks for getting Appa ready," she said, awkwardly playing with her hair.

"I figured you wouldn't want to linger here longer than you had to…" Aang replied stoically, still avoiding her gaze.

"Aang…"

"Take care Katara," he said, interrupting her. He strode away without another word, leaving Katara alone and without the chance to properly say goodbye.

She gave a heavy sigh, then climbed up into Appa's saddle and grabbed the reins. She cast one last look over the temple, watching Aang's form retreating and hoping the time apart would allow them to salvage a friendship.

"Appa… let's go. Yip yip!"

Appa lifted effortlessly into the air and immediately soared away from the temple. Despite the sadness she felt, Katara's heart was light. This was the first time in years she had looked forward to the future, and even though things were a mess right now, she had hope that things would change. She finally had a chance to find herself again, and to make a difference all on her own. It was a good feeling, and she couldn't help but smile as she considered all the possibilities that were now before her.