Katara sat by Zuko's bedside while he rested from another healing session. They were alone. Zuko watched Katara calmly with his golden eyes, he had taken a direct hit from Azula's lightning to save Katara, he could have easily died but the thought of her dying was far worse. And she had saved him like he had her. Katara sighed and looked out the window, her eyes sad.

"We remind me of Oma and Shu," she said quietly.

"Who?" Zuko asked trying to sit up.

"Oma and Shu, they're sort of the ones who made the city of Omashu," she replied gently pushing him back down onto his pillows. "They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages. The villages were enemies so they could not be together."

But their love was strong and they found a way. The two lovers learned earth bending from the badger moles. They became the first earth benders. They built elaborate tunnels so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth."

But one day the man didn't come."

He died in the war between their two villages."

Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earth bending power. She could have destroyed them all. But instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love," Katara finished looking at Zuko who crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Ridiculous, that's nothing like us. Our nations are no longer at war and we don't need to hide our feelings. Yeah the others might have some trouble adjusting but no one's going to die."

"Zuko we've known from the start this can't work. We have our duties. Mine to Aang and yours to the Fire Nation."

"There's more to life than duty, believe me I know!" Zuko argued trying to sit up again and being forced back down. "Why are we capable of feelings if we can't have them? Why want things if they can't be ours? Fine, don't listen to me. You're so sure of things it's impossible to argue with you."

"Don't tell me I don't understand what it feels like to want what I can't have!" Katara yelled, she was about to say more when someone knocked on the door a second later Sokka entered. He glanced between the two of them but said nothing.

"Come on Katara, it's late. Both of you need your sleep."

"I'll go to bed in a bit," she replied stubbornly.

"You need rest, in case Aang wants to talk to you about something important," Sokka told her as he left. He knew what Aang felt for his sister but Katara's feelings he was less sure of.

"The avatar wants you for himself," Zuko said quietly, he wasn't very observant but now a few things made sense.

"Yes."

"What you said, about knowing what it feels like to want what you can't have-"

"I didn't know what I was talking about," she said quickly, getting up to leave. At the door she hesitated. "Good night, Zuko."

Two weeks later, after Zuko's coronation and the farewell party at the tea shop Katara and Sokka went home with their father for the first time in so long.

"Stay with me," Zuko pleaded quietly before Katara left.

"I can't," she replied equally quiet, afraid Sokka or her father would overhear.

"Why not? Please!"

"Zuko, we've both known this can't be. We've known this from the start," Katara told him quickly, glancing in her family's direction."That doesn't mean it isn't real. It is. It just can't. Like Oma and Shu. I'll be happy knowing that you're somewhere thinking of me from time to time." Zuko sighed and pressed a small box into her hands and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek as they hugged a friendly good bye.

"Think about it," he told her as he stepped away and nodded at the box.

Zuko watched the ship sail out of sight, he was aware Mai was by his side but he didn't care. He stayed with her because he didn't want to hurt her again but if Katara would accept him he would choose her.

Slipping into her room Katara opened the box, inside lay a small gold bracelet with a Fire Nation symbol wrapped in the centre, she lifted it out of the box, surprised at how sturdy it seemed for its size. With a sad smile she put it on and watched the bracelet catch the light of the nearby candles. It wouldn't hurt to wear a good bye present from a friend she told herself as she returned to the upper deck.

Zuko and Katara wouldn't see each other again for three years.

In Southern Water Tribe tradition when the daughter of the Chief was ready to marry a competition was held for all those who were interested in her hand. In the old days the winner was the one who got the right to wed her. In this day and age however the final decision was up to the princess and the contest was just there to prove her suitor earned the right. Often if the princess was unsure of who she wanted to marry the contest was also used to settle the indecision.

"Katara, the competition will be held midwinter eve," Hakoda told his daughter one night at dinner. Katara nodded she was 18 now and had been eligible to wed two years ago, the midwinter after her 16th birthday. But for various reasons her father had postponed her competition.

She knew one of the reasons they were postponed was because Katara was helping to rebuild the village into more of a city like in the North. In the three years since the war had ended the men had come back and many children were born, a lot of them water benders, someday perhaps the South would resemble the North more. And part of Katara suspected that her father chose to wait until Aang was 16 so that he could be eligible. Even though Aang competing wouldn't exactly be fair.

"I understand Dad, I'm going to go help the others work . Aang's in the Fire Nation right now, will you tell me when he comes? We could use his help with the city." Katara replied getting up and putting her parka back on. She touched her bracelet that Zuko had given her, she and Aang had more of a casual relationship, they never claimed to be dating or anything like that she told herself to ease the guilt on her heart for keeping her feelings for Zuko alive.

Hundreds of miles away in the Fire Nation Aang sat with Fire Lord Zuko in their conference room. They had already gone over all the political discussions they needed to and had moved on to more personal tidings.

"How is Toph and Uncle?" Zuko asked as he poured two cups of tea for them. "I get letters of course but it's not the same." He never would've thought that someday his meetings with the Avatar would be a time he looked forward to.

"They were fine last I saw them, Toph is speaking with her parents on a regular basis now, they even go up to Ba Sing Se sometimes to visit her. Your uncle has been a great influence on her. I'll be going to the Earth Kingdom again soon, you should take a break for a bit and see them. I'm sure Sokka, Suki and Katara are wanting to go on a trip like old times." Aang replied with his usual carefree smile, he was 16 and had matured a lot over the years, staying very involved in the world to avoid making the same mistakes as past Avatars.

"I should, it's been a long time since we've all been together," Zuko mused. His heart jumped at the mention of Katara, he and Mai were still together but he hadn't asked her to marry him yet though he knew she was more than ready. He knew it was because he still hoped Katara would choose him. He wrote to the Water Tribe siblings often but he found Katara's letters too fake and forcefully friendly, Sokka's only spoke of the changes in their village and how Suki was adapting to South Pole life. "How's Sokka, Suki and Katara?"

"Suki's getting better with the cold but she still has to wear more layers than the other tribe women. She and Sokka are still acting like newlyweds and Katara is so busy enlarging the city. It's probably 5 times the size it was when we first met. Not as big as the North but slowly getting back what they lost."

Zuko nodded, so much had changed. They sat quiet for a moment as he wondered how everyone looked now. Uncle chose to visit him so Zuko wouldn't have to worry about leaving behind his Nation. He hadn't seen Toph in over a year if not two as they often closed the Jade Dragon during Uncle's visit and Toph would go to her family. He hadn't seen the other's since that last time at Uncle's shop when he gave Katara his mother's bracelet.

"Zuko I need a favour," Aang asked quietly, breaking the comfortable silence. He looked down at the tea cup in his hands clearly nervous.

"Favour?" Zuko asked with a frown, the Avatar didn't usually ask for favours.

"Yeah, um, there's this competition being held in the Southern Water Tribe. I was hoping you could enter for me." Aang spoke quickly and then winced expecting Zuko to refuse.

"Why can't you enter?" Zuko asked trying not to look too excited about seeing Katara again.

"It's a fighting competition, battle royal style. Any form is acceptable, benders or not. I'm the Avatar, for me to compete wouldn't be fair, even though winning this means everything to me," he said seriously. "I've spoken to Chief Hakoda, he said in this case I'm allowed to have a substitute. Considering the type of competition the first person I thought of was you. You can fight both with your bending and with your broadswords. You're the only one who I can trust with this. And also, I have to go and appoint a new governor for one of the colonies so I can't even go to the Southern Water tribe."

"Alright," Zuko said finally. A competition in Katara's home held by her father, he was sure to see her. He didn't know why winning the competition in Aang's name was so important but at the moment he didn't care. All he knew was he was going to see Katara. "I'll do it. When is it?"

"Midwinter eve. I can fly you to the South Pole on Appa on my way to the Earth Kingdom if you want."

"No it's alright, I'll take my ship that should get there just in time."

"After I was thinking of all of us meeting in Omashu then heading to Ba Sing Se together."

"Sure, I'll see you in a month at Omashu."