I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get each chapter up. I don't know when I will ever have free time again since a bunch of crap always comes up and I am some how involved. Oh, and about Hakoda being a 'jerk' in the last chapter, I'm sorry to all of you who like him but I wasn't really impressed with him on the show. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter, although I think this fanfic has been getting worse and worse with each chapter but I hope you like it anyways and please review!!

The sun rose slowly over the snow covered hills and still water. Along with the rising of the sun, a small Water Tribe rose with it. That small tribe awoke unknowing to the events that would take place very soon. Sure everyone knew of the wedding between the master waterbender and good friend of the Avatar, Katara and the almost master waterbender Koda.

"Katara you need to get up!" shouted said waterbender's brother. He only recieved a muffled response and a poorly aimed water whip. "Katara if you don't get up now I will...I will...bring one of my dirty socks in here and hold it near your face until you get up!" said Sokka with pride as he watched Katara leap out of her bed, with wide eyes. He started laughing at her and walked away.

"I'm up! I'm up!" said Katara, hoping Sokka didn't already have his dirty socks out. She let out a sigh of relief and was going to strangle Sokka but he was walking away. 'Why did I sleep in? I thought I was usually awake before Sokka...oh yeah, it's my wedding today. Great, just what I've been waiting for. I get to marry a know-it-all waterbender who used to hang around Sokka...oh well, no use in crying over it...' These thoughts went through her mind as she got dressed and walked outside to practice waterbending before people noticed her gone.

'Nephew are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Uncle Iroh, who was know stroking his beard and thinking over the young fire lord's plan to get Katara.

Said nephew nodded his head and then spoke quietly, "It's the only way...besides would you want to see her miserable for the rest of her life? This will make her so much happier." Zuko then stood up to leave and stand on deck, wishing they were closer to the Southern Water Tribe, but more importantly, closer to Katara.

Katara let out a sigh as she slowly played with the snow in front of her. She wanted to stay there all day and miss out on her wedding and let some other girl take her place. Besides, it's not like she was the one who agreed to it. Her father did and so she was going to stay there, where Aang and Appa had been before Zuko first came to her village.

She remembered that day clearly, and stopped her bending momentarily to sit down. At the thought of the young fire lord, she started to sing softly and slowly,"There's so much life, I've left to live
And this fire's burning still,
What would happen if they ever knew,
I'm in love with you...

As she was about to begin the next part she stopped as she saw a fire navy ship approaching her tribe, quickly. She stood up and sprinted back to her tribe, in high hopes.

A soft mumur of whispers became the only sound in the small water tribe, other than the soft crunch of snow. Everyone was excited about the Fire Lord being in the small village. All of the whispering stopped when Katara finally got back to the tribe. This went unnoticed to the waterbending master and she still held a bright and cheerful smile on her face. She searched the village but didn't see any sign of the Fire Lord other than his ship. Whenever she asked, the people kept quiet and refused to answer.

Finally, she saw a glimpse of red out of the corner of her eye and turned around quickly to run off in that direction. She came to a sudden stop to keep herself from knocking over Iroh. "Iroh, where is Zuko? And my father?" she asked the first question with enthusiasm, the second after thinking about the whole thing.

"Both are in a meeting with Koda. It seems there is some sort of argument about your marriage to Koda." said Iroh, trying his best to hold back a smile as he watched her reaction. "They are on the other side of this tent." Iroh paused and a smile crossed his face, "that is if you were wanting to make sure you didn't hear anything you weren't suppose to." As the last word came out of Iroh's mouth, Katara quickly walked around the tent, but stayed in the shadow of one of the snow towers.

"The only way the marriage can be called off is if you beat Koda in a bending battle. Although I would say this is probaly not the best time for one, since today is after all the day they were suppose to be wed but you seem like a pretty determinded young man." said Katara's father sternly.

"Thank you sir." Zuko bowed his head in respect, then asked, "then when shall I be able to do this?" Koda only rolled his eyes before he spoke in an annoyed tone, "With all due respect Chief Hakoda, don't you think it's a little late for this? I mean after all, you and I and everyone in this tribe know that today was to suppose to be my wedding day to your beautiful daughter Katara."

Katara almost let out a gag at what Koda said but settled for praying that her father would let Zuko fight Koda. But more importantly, Zuko would win."How about we let Katara decide?" asked the Chief of the Southern Water Tibe, something inside of him wanting to make it up to his daughter for not letting her have her say in the arranged marriage. "That is an honorable decision." said Zuko, standing up alongside Koda.

All three started to walk outside and Katara quickly bended the water underneath her to move her back, way back. This trick must have fooled her father and Koda but Zuko had a knowing look in his eyes, that told her he knew she had listened-in.

"Katara! There you are! I want your approval of this seeing that it will effect you more than anyone else." Katara's father paused, looking down at his youngest child before continuing, "As you know, Fire Lord Zuko arrived here earlier today. He asked for me for your hand in marriage, and for your bethoral to Koda to be broken. Of course, by now you should know the only way for this is for them to enter a bending battle. Not to the death of course, but anyways, what is your answer?"

Without giving a second thought to it, Katara cheerfully agreed to it. Then noticing the weird look from her father, she replied in a more relaxed tone, "That sounds like a good idea, thank you father for letting me chose." then bowed her head respectfully to him. When she looked up she noticed a small smirk on Zuko's face and a quizical one on Koda's.

I felt like I let everyone down, when I posted this as a short chapter, so I extended it for everyone!!! Once again, I hope you like it and please review!! The next chapter might be the last, and since you all have been so patient with me I will give you a preview of the next chapter-

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"Zuko! Wake up! You need to wake up! You can't die like this! You can't leave me here by myself! Not yet at least! Wake up Zuko! I need you! I love you!" shouted Katara, violently shaking Zuko's barely moving body.

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Anyways, like I said before I hope you enjoyed it so far and please review!! I will actually (and I promise!) have the next and possibly last chapter up, sometime today!!