Disclaimer: All rights belong to Nickelodeon, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and all the men and women that created the A:TLA show, books, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made. The lyrics are from the song "Into The Unknown" from Frozen II

Rating: General Audiences. Warning: some scenes contain dark themes and minor violence

Author's Note: Part one of the two-part book finale! This story is by no means over, though - as I mentioned in the notes of the first chapter, this fic is composed of 5 books/parts, like the different seasons in the show. There isn't going to be a separate fic for the other books, though - everything will be on this fic. I also won't make you guys wait for the next book to begin, because I'm a nice author :)

Chapter 15 - Choices: Part 1

What do you want? 'Cause you've been keeping me awake

Are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?

Or are you someone out there who's a little bit like me?

Who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be?

"I know, it was a bit of a surprise for me, too," Katara says quickly, seeing the shock on Zuko's face. "The Elders in my village were supposed to tell me, but then we were attacked by the Fire Nation and I was frozen in the ice. I didn't know until I was fending off the hurricane. I somehow ended up activating the Avatar State. Then I met my former reincarnation and she explained everything."

The surprise disappears from his face and he regains his usual neutral expression. "Are you sure you want to take on that responsibility?" he asks.

She nods. "I thought about it for a long time. I just can't stop thinking about the Earth village we visited. The people seemed so sad. They need me. They need the Avatar."

"What are you going to do, then?"

"Saura - the Avatar before me - told me I had to master the other three elements and then I have to use my power to end the war."

He stares at her intensely. "So you're going to fight my father, then."

She has to look away. That's the worst part of this whole Avatar thing. No matter what happens, Zuko's going to get hurt. He's already been through so much; he doesn't deserve this. But the world will never be in balance while the Fire Lord wages war.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I never wanted this."

"Me either." Zuko leans heavily on the rail. He seems so troubled right now. Katara knew he had some family issues, but she didn't realize he was this conflicted about his father.

"The last thing I want is for you to suffer more." She lays a hand on his arm. "But I can't ignore my destiny."

He looks up at her with such a raw sorrow in his eyes. "Why not?" he asks, his voice suddenly filled with energy. "Why can't we ignore our destinies? You said it yourself - why would the universe care so much about such short lives?"

His outburst surprises her. This is Zuko, the guy who has spent more than two years on a mission so that he can go home and reclaim his destiny. He's the one who refuses to start a new life because he doesn't want to turn his back on his fate.

What would make him suddenly change his mind?

"I thought you liked having a destiny. You said it gave you purpose."

He looks away. "It did. But everyone else manages to find purpose without having some grand destiny. Why can't we find our own? Why should we listen to a universe that doesn't care about us?"

"The universe does care. It cares about the people as a whole, not individuals. That's why the Avatar exists. That's why you're going to be an amazing Fire Lord one day." Katara tries to give him a reassuring smile.

"I don't even want to be Fire Lord." He clenches his fists together. "I don't power. I never have. I just wanted my father to love me. Or at least not look at me in disgust."

Katara feels so much for him right now. When she made the decision to be the Avatar, the only thing that gave her enough courage to accept it was knowing that her parents would be proud of her. Her parents taught her to be strong and brave and to not be afraid to love. They supported her unconditionally.

Zuko has never had that. From what she knows, his father was always so hard on him. And what kind of father shows up to challenge his thirteen year old son to a combat to the death? Then burns him permanently? Then banishes him on an impossible mission? And Zuko has never mentioned his mother, so either she was never in the picture or she hurt him even worse than his father.

Katara never had to earn her parents' love. She can't even begin to understand how hard it must be for him.

"If you have to earn it, then I don't think it's really love." She tightens her grip on his arm. "If you're looking for love, you already have it. Your uncle loves you."

"He's not my father."

"He could be."

Zuko shakes his head. "When I look in the mirror, I see my father's face looking back. I know it's not my father because of this." He points to his scar. "But I also know it's not him because he would never look me in the eyes. I don't need his love. I just need his respect."

Katara wants to tell him that he can never earn the respect of a man like that. His father is the kind of man who only respects cruelty and power. Zuko is powerful, but he doesn't crave power. And he's rough but never cruel. Who he is as a person is completely contrary to who his father is.

But she's not going to say that because she knows she can't change his mind. Only Zuko can learn that for himself. She just hopes he figures it out before he does something he regrets trying to please his father.

"So what are you going to do when you fight my father?" Zuko asks, his voice flat. "Are you going to kill him?"

"I don't want to," she admits.

"You'll have to."

She looks at him, but he's not looking at her. His expression is completely neutral.

"He won't stop fighting until he's dead," Zuko continues. "He'd rather die than lose. And he won't hesitate to kill you even though you're a young girl."

"He's not that heartless," Katara starts to say when a sharp look from Zuko stops her.

"My father is not below killing children. And neither is my sister, Azula. You should not underestimate her, either."

She watches him sadly. How on earth did such a compassionate person come from such monsters? Zuko has made mistakes. He's rough on the outside. But Katara has seen who he truly is - underneath the anger, the unconditional devotion to abusive family members, and the suffering lies a truly kind and smart person who wants what is best for his people and for the world.

She understands him better now in this moment than she ever has before.

"Your destiny isn't to please your father. It's to do what's best for your people and become the leader they deserve. Don't lose sight of that."

He looks at her, a small glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Do you think I fulfill my destiny without pleasing my father? Can I forget my mission and somehow still end up being Fire Lord one day?"

He's finally getting it! Katara feels so much happiness. Weeks of talking to him, trying to make him not only understand but also believe - and finally, finally, he's starting to see.

She smiles. "Maybe forgetting your mission is the only way to fulfill your destiny. Fate isn't always as straightforward as it seems."

She thinks of her conversation with Saura. The previous Avatar had told her she had to kill the Fire Lord to restore peace and balance, but maybe there's another way. Just like Zuko, she can find an alternative path to fulfill her destiny.

Zuko turns back to watching the horizon. "I hope you're right," he says.

After his conversation with Katara, Zuko is even more conflicted than before. He knows the decision should be easy. He's spent over two years searching for the Avatar. Now the Avatar is right on his ship, completely unsuspecting and completely trusting. He can capture her without a fight. He can be home, in bed, in the Fire Nation palace in a week. He can restore his honor and reclaim his right to the throne. Everything will be back to normal.

But how can it go back to normal? He'll never forget what his father did to him. He'll never be able to get rid of the scar on his face. He'll never forget the years he spent living on this ship. He can never get back the time he lost.

And he'll never forget Katara.

So what happens if he doesn't take her back to the Fire Nation? Does he join her on her quest to save the world? But how can he fight against his own family, his own people? Does he continue sailing around the world, pretending to be continuing his mission? That cover won't hold up once she starts revealing her power. Or does he decommission his men and then find somewhere to settle down and start a new life?

None of the options seem good to him. He wants to return to the Fire Nation but he doesn't want to turn in Katara. He can't have it both ways. The universe is too cruel.

Katara said there were other ways to fulfill his destiny that didn't include completing his mission. Can he really let her go and still become Fire Lord?

But therein lies the truth: Zuko doesn't care as much about his destiny as he does about pleasing his father. He wants to be able to sleep at night without seeing his father towering over him, telling him to fight and calling him a coward. He wants his men to be able to look him in the eyes and see respect in their gazes, not pity or irritation that they have to follow him. He wants to wear the gold headpiece in his hair that represents royalty. He wants to live in the palace and be invited to war meetings. Most of all, he wants to have some control over his life.

He wants control over his life because he's sick of the way the universe meddles in his affairs. If the Avatar was anyone other than Katara, he wouldn't hesitate to lock them up and ship them back to the Fire Nation. But of course it's her. And the universe was cruel enough to wait until after Zuko grew attached to her to reveal her destiny.

He runs a hand through his shaggy hair. How is he supposed to decide? Why does he have to decide? Why can't something - anything - come easy for him? He's spent his whole life struggling, and now he has to suffer more.

"What's wrong, young Zuko?" he hear Iroh's familiar voice ask. "You seem conflicted."

"That's because I am." Zuko paces across the deck.

Iroh is unfazed by his curt answer. "Is it about Katara?"

"Yes."

"You do not want to let her go."

"No."

"Because you like her."

Zuko stops right in front of Iroh. "Because she's the Avatar."

Iroh nods. "It makes sense," he muses. "After all, she is the last Waterbender."

"I can't believe I didn't see it!" Zuko can't fight off the wave of anger that flows through him. "How was I so stupid? I assumed the Avatar would be old. I assumed the Avatar would be a man. I assumed the Avatar would have already mastered all four elements. I assumed the Avatar would be just another enemy that I had to fight."

"There was no reason for you to think otherwise," Iroh says comfortingly. "Anyone would have made the same mistake."

"Azula wouldn't." Zuko continues his pacing. "Azula wouldn't have become friends with her. Azula would have known the moment she showed herself to be a Waterbender. And Azula wouldn't debate whether to turn her in or let her go. Azula would have locked her away without hesitation."

"But you're not Azula." Iroh puts a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "And I'm thankful every day for it."

"Azula is strong and powerful and calculating. If I was like her, my father might love me." Zuko shrugs his uncle's and off. "If my father loved me, he never would have banished me."

"We can spend our whole lives looking at what-ifs. Or we take the life we have and make the best of it." Iroh catches Zuko's eye. "You are at the crossroads of two destinies. Your destiny, and Katara's."

"I'm so sick of talking about destiny." Zuko throws his hands up in exasperation. "Destiny never cared for me."

"Then let go of your destiny."

He whirls around, shocked. "Let go?"

Iroh nods calmly. "I once believed my destiny was to be the greatest general in the Fire Nation, conquer Ba Sing Se, and eventually become a mighty Fire Lord. Now look at me."

Zuko does look at him. An old, weathered man who sits around all day and drinks tea and plays board games and says mysterious things that don't make sense. Zuko doesn't want to become like that.

"No offense, Uncle, but I want more from my life."

"I don't look like much, but I am happy. You could be happy, too, Zuko."

"How? What in my life seems like it has potential for happiness?" He can't keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"You have been happier in the last few days than I've seen you in years. Maybe start looking there."

Zuko knows what his uncle is implying. Iroh is trying to tell him Katara makes him happy. And while it may be true, he's already thought that one out. Katara may make him happy, but he doesn't make her happy. At least, he won't be able to make her happy for long. She'll grow tired of trying to deal with him. Then he'll have nothing.

"I can't stay with her. She's the Avatar. Her destiny is to fight my father. I can't fight against my own people."

"You don't have to stay with her. Sometimes letting things go is the way to happiness." Iroh shrugs. "It's your decision, Zuko. I can only give you advice."

"You know what I should do." Zuko watches his uncle closely. "What do you think will make me happy?"

"I think you should let her follow her destiny. You should take a break from yours. I don't think you were the one to find her by coincidence. Your fates are intertwined."

Zuko hopes his uncle is right. He hopes Katara is right. He hopes he's making the right decision now.

For his whole life, all Zuko has wanted was to please his father. Now he's found something else to fight for.