Reunion

Katara healed him once more, as he thanked her again.

"I can't believe how dumb you were. What made you taunt Azula to shoot her lightning? You were crazier than her when you said that." Katara gave him a look. Zuko gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry?" Katara huffed, "Tell that to yourself, because of your big mouth, you have a scar on your chest." The scar on his abdomen strangely reminded her of the scar on Aang's back. Maybe it was because they were both made by that psycho, Azula.

She pitied the firebender momentarily, seeing Azula of all people cry was out of the norm for many reasons. She pitied her, even more, when Zuko had told her that Azula was only fourteen, the same age as herself. To see the manipulative, cunning, and well, scary girl break down and cry was one of the strangest things ever.

"I just hope the others are doing well," Zuko said. Katara nodded, "I'm sure Sokka, Suki, and..." Katara raised an eyebrow, "This might be random but remind me why did we let the blind girl be hundreds of feet above the ground with only Sokka as her eyes?" Zuko shrugged, "Spur of the moment decision?" Katara frowned.

"Let's just hope that decision didn't cost Toph's life-not that she can't handle herself." Zuko's eyes stared at the ground, "How do you think Aang is doing?" Zuko asked. Katara scoffed, "If he even showed up, that is." Zuko raised an eyebrow, cocking his head. "Did you just say that or did Azula's lightning get me?"

Katara sighed, "Sorry, I guess I was just feeling a little...annoyed that he just...left." Zuko frowned, "If I remember correctly, it was you reassuring me that he would be there to fight my father." Katara removed the water from his chest, sitting down fully next to him. "Yeah, I was, wasn't I?" She placed a hand on her jaw. "Is it bad to sort of resent him for just disappearing?" She asked softly.

"Not really. I mean, I would feel annoyed if the love of my life just disappeared before I got to say goodbye to them." Katara's brows raised, "What? What are you talking about?" Zuko chuckled. "I think everyone in our little gang knows about you two. And believe or not, I think I might be your biggest supporter."

His words sunk in, making Katara pout a little. "Seeing as Aang was her first-ever friend, Toph supports you guys even though she acts like she doesn't really care. Suki thinks you guys are cute and even my uncle mentioned it once in our travels." Katara perked up, "Your uncle?"

Zuko nodded, "I remember him saying 'That waterbender girl seems nice, you should talk to her more.' And I said, excuse me, 'That water tribe peasant? Why would I like her? How would I even talk to her when she's friends with the Avatar? Are you out of your mind uncle?' I remember him laughing and then saying, 'Good. Because I doubt you would even have a chance, my nephew. She's quite infatuated with that Avatar. No offense, of course.' Then he asked me to have some tea with him, and as usual, I said no."

Katara giggled, "Yeah, Uhm, no offense Zuko but you're like a brother to me. But I did hear some ladies talk about your 'hotness' before." Zuko smiled softly, "You're like the sister I never had. But, I, uh, tell them to thank you for me." His laugh turned into an awkward chuckle. Katara laughed in response.

"You know, you're the most awkward person I've ever met." Katara teased, "And you aren't? I've seen the way you tried to talk to Aang. The dude seems so casual while you're as nervous as Sokka is with public speaking." Katara rubbed the back of her neck, eyes darting around nervously.

"He's, uh, sort of the only person that makes me so...you know." She looked a bit shy, Zuko concurred. "I get it. But Aang doesn't seem so nervous when he's talking to you for some reason, I thought he was the type of guy to stutter around the girls he likes." Like you aren't, Katara thought, remembering how even talking about Mai seemed to rile him up.

"Well, he used to be. But after Ba Sing Se he became so much more...aloof in my brother's terms." She remembered how Aang effortlessly made a bunch of girls crush on him after only three days in school. "Aloof? That does sound like something Sokka would say." Zuko smiled to himself, "But it does make sense."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "He didn't act like he didn't care, no, he always cared so he wasn't really aloof. Just...more focused, I guess." Now thanks to me, she thought.

"He became a lot more like you after Ba Sing Se. After he woke up from that three-week coma he had," Zuko made a face, "He told me that he needed his honor back. If that doesn't sound like you, then I don't know what does. And then he was all angry and brooding, so much so that he decided that he ran away to fight Ozai alone." Zuko's brow raised, "Umm, I'm guessing you found that hot?"

Katara was taken back at that, "I was talking about something serious, but you really do hold the title of the most awkward guy on the planet."

Katara sighed at the expectant look on the firebender's face, "And yes, I thought that was sort of...interesting how he acted." Katara's face felt like Azula sent a fireball at her face.

"And what about the times you watched us train? Or when Toph would make him take off his shirt to really hurt him? Or when you guys would get half-naked in the water to 'practice' and-"

"Oh, shut up before I get my waterskin." Katara placed her hands on her face, failing to hide her burning face.

Zuko chuckled, "But on a more serious note, I do think you're right." Katara perked up, "Why?"

"I've always felt that you believed in Aang more than any of us, and for far longer. And you know I'm not really that into hope, but I think you made me somewhat believe Aang can do it." Katara sighed, "I think Aang has always given you hope. Not for the same reasons as me, but in your own way, Aang gave you hope."

Zuko grunted, "I guess. But I'm half-glad people don't know that, while everyone on Ember Island knows about your love for hope." Katara rolled her eyes, "Oh, that horrendous play." Zuko nodded. "It was terrible, but in a way that plays was a more extreme version of us."

"Are you saying it was good?" Zuko shook his head, "Never, but I am saying it had some truth in it. For instance, Toph. She's a buff man who's really 'tough', I think that's just Toph who's a guy with sonic waves. And Aang, frankly, he is more in touch with his feminine side than most people think that the Avatar should be. Sokka's a guy wouldn't stop making jokes about meat, which is pretty accurate." Feeling his scar as he spoke, "And me, well I was that loud guy who wouldn't stop talking about honor."

"And me?" Katara asked, "You were in love with hope, plus, did you see the way your dress was cut off? I think that was their way of showing you as a sort of sex appeal and you were pretty helpless for whatever reason." Katara rolled her eyes, "Sex appeal, huh. I guess that makes sense." Zuko raised the only eyebrow he had, "I'm the only actual girl in the play, and I got like three love interests while the rest had like one or none." Zuko sighed, "I guess that makes sense." Katara gritted her teeth, "The most obvious thing was making me have a relationship with you, the supposed antagonist and 'bad boy' of the story."

Zuko nodded, "What was up with that? That's such a common cliche in books and theatre. I bet it was the opposites attract trope they liked." Katara nodded, "Duh. Blue and red? Fire and water? Everyone's a sucker for that trope."

"What was the other trope, uh, enemies to lovers right?" Zuko tapped his chin, stroking the invisible beard. "Another cliche. Bleh, the number of books I've read like that. They are pretty good but very overused." They nodded in agreement.

Their eyes turned to the horizon of the palace.

"I wonder when they're coming. We've already waited a day." Katara looked into the horizon, squinting a little. "They should be back, they have to." Zuko frowned.

Katara looked back at the prince, "We can wait for them, but you need to go deal with the people in your government and the Fire Sages tomorrow, so I advise you to rest and let your wound heal some more." It wasn't a suggestion, more like a command. Zuko sighed, getting up slowly from the stairs. He dusted off his pants as he stood up straight. Katara followed suit.

"Again, thank you for your help Katara." He nodded, then trudged inside the palace. Katara watched him go, making sure he didn't suddenly fall. After he was gone, she couldn't help but stare at the setting sun wistfully.

She felt better after talking to Zuko (a thought she never thought she would have) but her nerves were still haywire. She felt the slight breeze in the air, a thing that reminded her of a certain airbender.

•••

She scurried off to Sokka, who smiled at her. "Sokka! How did you break your leg?" She looked at his lifeless leg, "You wouldn't believe it! You should've been there to see Aang! He went all bam-woosh-WHAM-and- Ka-BLAAM!" Katara perked up, "He's okay?" Suki nodded, "He's fine. Look, he's coming out right now." The Kyoshi Warrior pointed behind her to the Avatar with a lemur on his shoulder, who he seemed to be talking to.

Aang looked different somehow. He walked like he was much more confident with himself, he had a carefree expression she hadn't seen on his face for months, and...he was limping. She made her way to him, quickly noticing all the third-degree burns and small cuts all over his body.

Before she went to heal him, she did the thing she had wanted to do the most first. She wrapped her arms around him, as tight as she could and inhaled the smell of fresh air that he always seemed to have around him, feeling him tense at first but quickly returning her hug.

He could smell the ocean breeze smell she always seemed to carry, feeling a bit more comfortable at her presence. "Nice to see you too, Katara." He tried to pull but the arms of the girl didn't let him, holding him even tighter.

He felt confused for a second as to why she was trembling but then he heard the sharp intakes of breath and the feeling of dripping tears on his shoulder. His eyes widened as he realized she was crying, "Katara?" He whispered softly. She pulled away as he said this, wiping her tears away with her arm. "Katara are you-"

Aang winced in pain as he felt the punch on his arm, then stared in awe at the waterbender as he processed both the pain and what just happened. The shock was evident on his face. Katara gritted her teeth.

"Did you just...pull a Toph on me?" The earthbender in question snickered. He rubbed his arm, looking at Katara like she grew a second head. "That's what you get for being a jerk." She pointed at him, "A jerk?" Aang cocked his head sideways, "What did I do to deserve a punch?" She pouted, her eyes daring to tear up again.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Is that what I get for defeating the Firelord?" Katara's face broke into a smile, "So you really did it!" Aang nodded, "Uh, that's sort of why I'm standing in front of you."

Katara flicked him in the arrow, "Ow! Since when did you get so physical?" He rubbed his arrow, dragged by the arm by Katara. "Since you became an idiot and started joking about your death."

Aang gave her his signature crooked grin, a sight she loved more than anything that made the butterflies in her stomach fly around in anticipation. She smiled softly, pulling him into another tight hug. She pulled back, staying in his arms and analyzing everything about him. She loved his eyes, if not for the color, then for the expressiveness of it. The saying the eyes were the windows of the soul really was true in his case, for he wore his heart on his sleeve. Her eyes trailed down to his lips, not too thin or full, lips that she had tasted about two or three times, a thing she longed to feel once again.

Instead of kissing him, she did the next best thing. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek, right on the corner of his lips, a feat that required a lot of courage, even for her. Her smile widened as she saw the passing blush on his cheeks.

"C'mon, I'll heal Sokka while you guys tell me and Zuko what happened." Aang nodded and followed her to Sokka. He hugged Zuko too, raising an eyebrow at the way Zuko was acting. "Good to see that you're okay." Zuko nodded, "Me too, Aang. I'm glad you defeated my father."

"Well, I hope you can get some of your guards to get Ozai and throw him into one of your cells." Zuko raised his brow, "Uh, I thought you killed him?" Aang shook his head, "No. I took his bending away." That caught Katara's attention. She stared incredulously at him, in awe and horror.

"So, do you want to tell us what happened or do you want Sokka to explain it?" Suki deadpanned. Aang chuckled, "I'll tell you." He took a seat next to Katara and Sokka, letting Momo sit on his shoulders again. "Plus, I don't think you guys saw all of it."

"So I woke up on a Lion Turtle and I had no idea how I got there." They stared at him in confusion, "They exist?" Katara asked. Aang nodded. "Well, I asked all my past lives on advice on how to not kill Ozai but they all said the same thing in different words, although I did learn that Kyoshi definitely would've killed Chin without hesitance if she had the chance." Aang scratched his head, now with tiny hair after not shaving for a few days.

"Even the Air Nomad Avatar before you?" Katara asked. He nodded, "She told me that even though the monks told me not to hurt anything, that I should kill to keep balance. She told me that 'Many great Air Nomads have detached themselves from the world but the Avatar can never do it because their sole duty is to the world'."

"Wow. Those are wise words," Suki stated. Aang nodded, "They were, but they weren't the words I wanted to hear."

"After I learned that it was a Lion Turtle, I swam to find its head, and there it was. I asked him for some help and then he taught me how to take someone's bending away. He called it energybending." The benders in the room shared looks, "So you could take any one of our bending away at any moment in time?" Toph asked. "Well, yeah, but it takes up a lot of energy, and plus I would never do it to someone unless absolutely necessary." Katara couldn't help but admire him even more, despite the absolutely terrifying power he now possessed.

"Well, after that I went to the place Ozai was supposed to be and I waited for him." Zuko looked at Katara, he felt a little guilty for saying that he thought Aang might be too scared to face his father. "He came, and we talked for a second before he attacked. We fought around the place, he flew around with his firebending and I was just dodging him and putting out the fires he was sending me. I think I used a lot more water and earth than normal. And then he started shooting lightning." Katara frowned.

"He missed and missed but then I fell on one of the rocks and he shot one directed at me. I redirected it and I nearly redirected it right at him but then," He looked surprisingly sad. "I saw the look on his face, he looked so scared that I shot it so it missed him." Katara felt relieved and Zuko was impressed at how fast his thinking was.

"And then we fought again, but I got knocked out and nearly crashed right on the water but I landed softly thanks to my waterbending. He chased me out of the water and then I curled myself into a rock ball and let him firebend at me. It was really hot of course, and then he started taunting me about my people and how weak they were..." He pets Momo, frowning slightly. "But of course, the rock ball wasn't going to last and one more fire blast finally did the job." Their eyes widened. How the heck did he survive?

"At that moment, luckily, a piece of rock hit me right where my scar was and unlocked my Avatar State. It was so weird, I saw myself in the Avatar State, Roku, and the colossal me." The others looked at him strangely, "Oh yeah you guys don't know about colossal Aang. I'll tell you later."

He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I unlocked the Avatar State and my tattoos started glowing again. I was in the Avatar State, but this time I had complete control over it." Katara beamed. He had finally mastered the Avatar State.

"I grabbed Ozai by the beard and I got out of the rubble, and he looked pretty terrified. I airbent him away and then made a ball of air around me, and flew into the sky. I felt so powerful with the Sozin's Comet as a firebender, enough to shoot flames from my mouth and all four of my limbs." Zuko smiled, Aang did the technique but at a level, no one else could ever do it in except the Avatar. "And then I bent chunks of rock into smaller rocks and brought some water from the ocean and fire to circle around me in a circle."

"He looked EPIC! He had all the elements around him and he looked even cooler with his tattoos and eyes glowing! He looked terrifyingly amazing!" Sokka butted in. Aang shrugged, "I guess."

"You guess? That sounds amazing! I wish I was there to see it." Katara said in awe. Zuko nodded, "Me too, I want to see what kind of firebending an Avatar could do in Sozin's Comet." Aang shrugged. "Every Avatar does a demonstration of all the four elements and the Avatar State after they mastered it. It's sort of like an unspoken tradition." Aang placed a finger on his chin, "I wonder what Kyoshi did in Sozin's Comet, she lived through it three times!"

"Kyoshi lived to 230, so she lived through the Sozin's Comet three times," Suki informed the confused gang. "Wow. Avatars do live a long time, don't they?" Toph said. Aang nodded, "They do. But not all of them. The last Water Tribe Avatar, Kuruk, only lived up to 33. He told me that he lost his wife to Koh, the face stealer." He frowned.

"That's...really sad," Suki stated. "I guess. Hey but isn't sort of cool that his wife was from the Southern Water Tribe like you two?" He looked at the siblings. "Really? How did they meet then?" Sokka asked. "Uh...I'm thinking, I think, I feel like I should know...don't you guys have a New Moon thing where the two tribes meet up?" Katara nodded, "Yeah but we haven't had one in decades."

"But that's where they met. It was love at first sight, I think." He didn't know how he knew all of this, Kuruk hadn't told him any of this in their brief time together. It was like a dream he had forgotten that had resurfaced in his memories. Katara knew she liked him from the moment she saw him but this coincidence made her feel extra-flustered.

"But anyway, I chased Ozai around the place till' I got him in one place. He looked really scared. It was weird." Zuko never thought his father could look scared. Only Aang would ever see his father be scared.

"And then Aang yelled at him, and I could hear him super clearly since he was shouting so loudly." Toph crossed her arms, grinning. "Did you lecture the freaking Firelord?" Katara asked. "Former Firelord, but yea, I guess you could call that a 'lecture'." Aang gave Momo a bop on the nose.

"He was all like 'Firelord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world and for that, you shall pay!' in his Avatar voice." Sokka reenacted.

"What's his Avatar voice?" Zuko and Suki shared a look.

"It's when he's in the Avatar State and all of his past lives speak with him," Katara informed. Suki made a face, "That's creepy."

Toph scoffed, "Creepy? Try freaky!" Katara nodded, "It's more scary than creepy but it's still creepy."

"After I got him on the rock, I almost killed him because I was so angry." Aang looked down, he felt ashamed of himself. "But I stopped myself before I could, and I got out of the Avatar State. Ozai tried to attack me but thanks to Toph, I used her seismic sense to avoid it." Toph grinned. "And then I took his bending away. That was it, and after that, I put out all the fires and I could get in and out of the Avatar State willingly." Aang smiled.

"Umm, I think you're being too nice." Sokka looked at Katara, "He literally lifted the ocean and put it back down to put out the fires. You would've been proud." Katara's eyes widened. "I wanted to see the battle but I definitely want to see that. No waterbender can do that, heck, I don't think can even do that!" Katara looked at him with awe. Aang chuckled, cheeks tinting lightly at her compliment.

"It wasn't all me, it was the Avatar State that allowed me to." Katara shook her head, "It was you. The Avatar spirit holds the power of the Avatar State, and since you are the Avatar, the Avatar State is a part of you. You told me the Avatar State gets more powerful as you reincarnate." Aang thought about this, sighing as he concluded that she was right, as always.

"It's sort of funny, isn't it?" Aang said. The others looked at him, confused. "Katara, when I first met you and after we ran away from Zuko, " He nodded at the firebender. "Remember how you asked why I didn't tell you I was the Avatar? And what I said?" Katara nodded. "You said 'Because I never wanted to be.' " She recounted.

"You didn't?" Zuko asked, "Yeah, I didn't. I didn't want to have this responsibility and duty to the world and I thought someone could do a better job than me," Suki looked at him sadly, "And now that I actually just fulfilled my purpose as the Avatar...it seems like all of the doubt and worry I had was unnecessary." He chuckled humourlessly. Zuko pursed his lips as he thought of what to say.

Zuko shook his head, "No, it was good that you did feel that way. 'Only a fool wouldn't be afraid,' that's what my uncle said. Fear and doubt keep you alive because only someone dumb enough wouldn't be afraid and get themselves killed."

Aang thought about this, a small smile growing on his lips, "Your uncle is a wise man. Looks like he gave me good advice more than once, now." Katara pondered what advice Aang of all people would have needed from Iroh. Aang was the wisest of the group, being taught by the Air Nomads and being the Avatar. After all, he was the one that convinced her to not kill Yon Rha a few weeks ago.

"Thanks. I think my uncle would be happy to know the all-knowing wise Avatar has called him the wise one." Aang rolled his eyes, "Your highness, Prince Zuko, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." Katara snickered, "Actually, it's Firelord Zuko now." Aang smiled, "That suits you."

"Thanks." Toph snickered. They sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes, taking in the fact that Aang had really won.

Katara stood up, dusting herself off. She took Sokka's job for a second. "We should get back to the palace, we need to get ready for both of your coronations." They all stood up, following the waterbender to the palace.

Aang cocked his head, "Both of us?" Katara smiled, "Yeah, didn't you defeat Ozai? And master all four elements?" "Well, I wouldn't say mastered, but-" "Oh Twinkletoes she means you're finally a fully realized Avatar now." Toph rolled her lifeless eyes.

Aang looked surprised, for some reason. "What? Is it that surprising?" Katara asked. "Uh, yeah. It's just-all the fully realized Avatars are serious and grown adults and, well, I'm just a kid." Katara placed a hand on his bare shoulder. "Then you're the most serious kid I've met." She deadpanned. Aang frowned, "Uh, am I?" Sokka laughed, "Definitely. Who knew how angry a twelve-year-old could look?"

"Who knew how goofy a twelve-year-old could look like?" Suki added in. Aang blushed in embarrassment, "Thanks, I guess?" Aang looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. Katara placed her hand on his back, smiling a bit suggestively. "It's fine Aang. Don't mind them, we like goofy." Aang's whole being was taken back, both by the interesting look she was giving him and the way she said those words.

He felt sweat dripping down his forehead under her intense gaze. Katara looked away, making Aang let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Katara felt both embarrassed and a bit glad that she had said that, missing the blush on the airbender's face growing even more, since she was too busy hiding her own burning face from his eyes. It was obvious who the 'we' was. She was indirectly talking about herself.

Katara cleared her throat, "Uh, so, you like fire flakes?" She tried to change the topic. "Uhm, yeah, they're very good."

The others watched them helplessly try to ease the awkwardness. It was over when Sokka and Zuko made eye contact.

"Oh gosh, Twinkletoes and Sugar Queen need some lessons on flirting, actually, it's Sugar Queen who really needs it more than anything!" Toph snickered. "My sister is the shyest around guys she likes, I don't even know she managed to say that 'goofy' line at all!" Sokka laughed.

The group laughed, almost looking like normal teenagers, not a bunch of kids who almost died saving the world.

Except for the other two, laughing awkwardly, not noticing that their friends were laughing about them just a few feet away from them.

"So...uh,"

"...Fire flakes?"

Katara gave him a sheepish smile as she said this. Aang felt a sudden rush of deja vu. "..Sure." He returned the sheepish smile. "...Fire flakes."

When Toph said 'Avatars must live a long time' I died a little inside since we know Aang only lived until' 66, and only spending 54 years with Katara and his friends which lead to Katara living 20+ years without Aang. And when Katara's next to Korra, it's not only because she's her friend/master and family but because this is as close to Aang she will be until she dies, and being with Korra makes her feel like she's somewhat still with Aang. I'm ready to cry.

Also, this chapter which I wrote in the middle of online school and when I had nothing else to do unintentionally became the longest chapter I wrote on this story. Hope you guys liked it tho.