Katara and Zuko are sitting in the palace garden, laughing as they enjoy high tea. In the time they had spent together, they were either fucking like animals or leisuring like an old married couple. Katara felt as though they were simply preparing for the years to come, when they will be too old to keep up with the constant love-making. The palace workers have come to know her as Zuko's betrothed, although they haven't formally announced their engagement just yet. Katara sips her tea during a moment of silence and gazes out to the pound, littered with fallen petals.

"What are you thinking about?" Zuko asks as he cocks his head.

Katara continues staring contemplatively into the distance, teacup still in her grasp. "I'm worried about how Aang is going to react, is all."

"It'll be fine," Zuko reassures her, "I invited everyone out here for a reason. If he doesn't feel comfortable talking with us, he has all of his other friends here to help him through it."

"I know," Katara sighs, "But I can still be concerned."

"Yes, of course you can. It would be out of character if you weren't. But I don't want it to eat you up."

"He doesn't know I'm here. No one knows I'm here. It's going to be a shock for him."

Katara looks down and begins playing with the liquid in her cup, twirling her finger to send a stream of tea spiraling out and into the air. She forms the tea into the shape of an otter penguin and practices making it swim in the air. Zuko watches her, entranced by her bending abilities, before he decides to join. He's been practicing as well, copying her waterbending techniques to soften his fire. He produces a small flame and attempts to form it into a miniature dragon. The shape is amateur and comes off more as a snake than a ferocious flying creature, but it is significantly better than when he first started. He makes the dragon fly toward Katara's otter penguin, and the two shapes to dance together in swirling loops and twists. The opposing elements cause damage to each other, with the flame's heat evaporating some the tea and the water extinguishing parts of the fire. The two continue their tango until the shapes become too small maintain, and Katara lets the water drops to the ground as Zuko's fire dissipates into nothingness. Zuko reaches his hand out to grab Katara's and runs his thumb over it comfortingly.

"It'll all work out, Katara. You'll see."

Their moment is interrupted by a palace guard entering the garden and bowing before the couple.

"My Lord, your guests have arrived. Shall I escort you to the foyer?"

Zuko looks over to Katara for approval, and she nods at him nervously. He turns back to the worker. "Yes, that would be much appreciated."

Katara feels her stomach tremble with anxiety. Zuko stands up and walks over to her before kissing her forehead.

"I'll bring them here to the gardens. Be back soon."

Zuko and the worker exit the garden, leaving Katara all alone. She runs through her plan in her mind. What was she even going to say to Aang? Becoming engaged to Zuko less than a month after she broke off their own engagement didn't look good. He may even think she had been unfaithful to him. How was she going to explain that? Even worse, everyone was going to be here. She originally thought that would help, to get it all done and over with in one foul swoop, but now she's not so sure. It should probably be a more private announcement, so that Aang has time to process it alone. Yes, that's exactly how it should be. But do I have time to make it back to the royal chambers before they get back? There's only one way for her to find out. Katara gets up out of her seat and begins making her way to the back archway of the garden.

"Katara?"

She freezes in place. Apparently, the answer was no, because she can hear the footsteps of everyone entering the garden behind her. What can she do? Quickly, and before anyone can notice, Katara slides a hand up her torso, grabs onto the pendant and unhooks the clasp. She slips the pendant into her pocket before turning around to greet her friends, who are all donning looks of confusion and relief upon seeing her. Aang is standing in the back of the group; he is staring at her with pain in his eyes. The last time Katara had seen him was when she was returning his betrothal necklace. Before she can say anything, Sokka runs up to her, exaggerating the way he throws his arms around her.

"Oh, little sister! I was so worried! I thought you had gotten eaten by a man-eating lizard or something. You could have been dead and I would have been none the wiser. How could you put me through that?"

"Quit being dramatic!" Katara laughs as she struggles to breath under his embrace. "You know I could have fought off any man-eating whatevers."

"Well, yeah, but you can't stop me from imaging the worst!"

Suki walks up to join them. "As much as I hate to say it, Sokka's right."

Sokka turns to glare at Suki. "Aren't wives supposed to be loving and supportive? See what I have to deal with?" Sokka asks Katara sarcastically. He releases his sister and pulls away so that his arms still rest on her shoulders. "For real, though, we've all been really worried about you, Katara."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Katara says.

Sokka retracts his hands. "I mean, I understand needing a break from the world, especially after a break up, but you could have told us where you were going. Is this where you've been the whole time?"

Katara looks down as she feels her face flush. She thanks the spirits that her complexion hides the redness easily. "Yes. I didn't know where I was going at first, that's why I couldn't tell you."

"And you couldn't send us an update?"

"I…" Katara tries to form an explanation, but no words come out. Telling them the true reason for her visit here would require breaking the news, and her nerves were definitely stopping that from happening. She eyes the grass below her, still struggling to speak, when she feels a gentle palm rest on her arm. When she looks at the hand, she recognizes the turquoise tattoo and looks up to meet the eyes of her former fiance. The hurt that was in his eyes not too long ago has faded to reveal one of compassion. Aang is smiling at her, and she responds with a weaker, more embarrassed grin.

"We're just glad you're alright. I'm glad you're alright." His eyes are shining with a sort of bittersweet happiness. Without another word, Katara gingerly hugs the airbender. She struggles to maneuver her hands through the mass amounts of excess fabric draping around his torso, but she finds her way through and her hands meet each other at the center of Aang's back. Carefully, almost as if he was still deciding if he was even ready to hug her, he reciprocates.

"Thank you, Aang," Katara murmurs into his chest. She can hear his quickened heart and feels guilty for damage she's about to cause it. Aang pulls away first and clears his throat as he straightens his mala. A hushed tension falls over the group before Zuko breaks the silence.

"I've, uh, got a lunch prepared for all of us. Why don't we head to the dining hall?"

Sokka lets out an excited squeal. "How did you know I'd be hungry?"

"Sokka, you're always hungry."

"Very true."

The group of friends make their way out of the garden. Zuko and Katara stay towards the back, and Zuko leans in toward her as he speaks.

"Where's your pendant?"

Katara gestures down to her pocket, where she's pulled out the pendant enough for Zuko to see, before shoving it back into the depths of the fabric. Zuko shakes his head.

"We have to tell them eventually, Katara."

"I know that," Katara says, "I just… I want it to be more delicate. I want to tell Aang in private."

"Is that why you were trying to escape before I got back?" Zuko jokes.

"Actually, yes, that is why. You have no idea the position I'm in, you don't get to tell me how to handle this."

"I understand that," Zuko says sympathetically, "But he's also going to be upset with me. We're kind of in this together. We'll tell him however you want, but just know that you're not alone here."

Katara stays facing forward, indignantly trying to suppress a smile. "Don't expect to get a kiss out of that sweet-talk, buster. We're not in the clear yet."

She doesn't have to look at her lover to know that he's donning a smirk. "Yes, ma'am."

Dinner was, well, awkward. The crew kept trying to ask Katara about her time away and what she had been doing, to which she dodged the simple answer: lots of fucking. Aang was soft-spoken for the entirety of the evening, which was out of character, but everyone knew better than to pester him about it. It was obvious why he was acting as such. After dessert had come and gone, night had long since fallen and everyone was ready to retire for the day. Zuko escorted them all to their guest chambers, inconspicuously avoiding the topic of where Katara was sleeping.

Zuko purposely saved Aang's room for last. As they approached the maroon doorway, Katara could feel her body tense up with nerves.

Aang grabs the door handle as he turns to face his friends. "Thank you for showing me the way here. This palace is so large, I'd probably have gotten lost. Good night."

Katara grabs the arm Aang's using to open the door. "Actually, Aang, could I come in? That is, if you're not planning on going straight to sleep."

Aang's pupils dilate as he meets her azure eyes. He pushes the door open and it swings to meet the interior wall, staying in place at its widest angle. "Come on in."

Katara swallows hard before glancing at Zuko. "I'll see you later, Zuko."

He hesitates, but sees the message in Katara's that she'd be alright on her own. He bows to the both of them. "Good night."

Aang walks into the guest chambers first, sitting himself down onto the bed. Katara closes the door behind her. When she turns, she can see that he's trembling ever so slightly.

"Aang," Katara says gently as she glides to the mattress, sitting down beside Aang, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"Spirits, Kat, I just…"

Aang interrupts his own words by grabbing Katara's face and kissing her. Her eyes widen and she attempts to pull away, only to be locked in place by Aang's grip. No, she thinks, this isn't what I had planned. The kiss ends and Aang initiates another, but Katara manages to turn her head away.

"Aang, what are you-"

"I was so worried," Aang says as he dips his face into the crook of her neck, "None of us heard from you in a month. We didn't know how to contact you. I know you needed space, but I didn't expect you to go missing."

Aang lifts his face to go in for another kiss, only for Katara to push on his chest and create distance between their bodies.

"Please…" Aang whimpers in protest, "Katara, I've missed you."

"And I'm sorry Aang, but I…" Katara is flustered. She didn't expect this type of reaction from Aang. "I thought I had made it clear when I left that I- I was ending things between us."

Aang's eyes keep flitting between Katara's eyes and lips, unsure of how to proceed. "I mean, I guess I just hoped… time apart is what you needed, and then things would be fine. It would only be temporary."

Katara stares into her hands as her fingers wrestle with one another nervously. Eyes closed, she takes a deep breath before detangling her fingers and guiding one into her pocket. Her hand encloses around the pendant and she hesitates, twirling the piece of metal between her fingers behind the fabric. Without saying a word, she raises her hand to her choker, reattaches the pendant, and settles her hands in her lap. Finally, she opens her eyes to see Aang looking at her neck, confused.

"What…"

Aang continues to evaluate the pendant, tracing his eyes over the immaculate details of the design, before its meaning finally clicks. All sorts of emotions flash through his face: anger, confusion, hurt, betrayal… He stands up from the bed and stops in the middle of the room, back to Katara and obviously seething with some sort of intensity he didn't want seen. Katara stays where she's seated, not daring push herself farther. Although Aang had grown tremendously, he was still human and was allowed to feel hurt at the revelation. She sits and waits for Aang to make the first move, despite it taking quite some time for Aang to finally speak. He heads turns slightly, not enough to reveal his expression but enough to let Katara know he was speaking to her.

"When?" He asks plainly.

"He gave me the necklace last week-"

"No," Aang interrupts, obviously trying to calm himself, "When did this start?"

"Not until after I left, I swear it," Katara explains meekly, "I would never do that to you."

There is a moment of silence between the two before Aang turns to face her. His sclera have reddened from the encroaching tears and his face is overtly stern in an attempt to hide his pain. "I think you should go."

"Aang…"

"Please, just… leave." Aang diverts his gaze indignantly to meet the wall. Sensing that he wouldn't budge, Katara makes her way to the door and grabs the handle, pausing to look back at Aang. He is still facing away from her, and she sighs as she exits the room.

When the closes the door, she finds herself alone in the dimly lit hallway. Whatever light there was scatters as her eyes glaze over with tears. What was she supposed to do with that conversation? There was no closure, no acknowledgement that everything would be alright. Did I just lose one of my oldest friends forever? Her brain racks with guilt and she notices that her lower lip has begun to quiver. Hopefully, tomorrow would be a new day and Aang would still be here, ready to finish what she unfortunately started.