Disclaimer: I own nothing! And I hate it!

Daylight passed away as the airship dragged along the sky, leaving an invisible trail of disturbed air in its wake. Zuko and Katara remained on the bridge, seated silently, watching as the sky gently descended into darkness. Katara felt slightly embarrassed and apprehensive to speak or even glance at the Fire Lord since their sudden, emotional outbursts. She was well aware that Zuko wasn't a therapist—there wasn't anything he could offer to help her situation—but something about their similar feelings made the filter between her brain and mouth disappear.

Still, it feels good to have told someone how I feel, Katara thought. Even though there's nothing he can do to help me.

One by one, the pair watched as the stars began to appear in the thick, darkening blanket of sky. The moon appeared over the horizon, bright and glistening, like a silver plate cast across the black void. Suddenly the land below seemed to change and shift, as if it were spirited by some unseen, silvery force. Its ethereal presence mesmerized Katara for a minute, but suddenly a strong hand gripped her shoulder tightly.

"Ahh!"

The waterbender jumped up in fright, her hand flying up and grasping the offending arm, twisting it. Its owner yelped in pain, and abruptly Katara let the would-be attacker go.

"Zuko! Why did you sneak up on me? I didn't even see you get out of your chair!"

The Fire Lord rubbed his injured wrist and looked at her unbelievably. "Who else could it be?! We're the only two people on this ship!"

Katara realized her mistake, and a strong sense of sympathy overcame her surprise. "Of course I know that…I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I'll be fine," Zuko shot her a small, forgiving smile. "I was just getting up to tell you that I was going to bed."

"Oh…okay."

"I set the controls to fly us throughout the rest of the night. By tomorrow morning we should arrive in Ba Sing Se. Are you going to stay here for a while?"

"No, I think I'll go to bed as well. I'm sure we'll have a busy day tomorrow."

Zuko nodded and headed out the door, Katara following closely. "I'm not sure what we'll be doing tomorrow. We'll have to consult with my uncle and the Order of the White Lotus once we get there."

Zuko paused about halfway down the narrow, metal corridor. He gestured to a door on the right. "This is your room."

Katara blinked awkwardly and then peeked thought the door. Inside, she spied a fully-furnished bedroom, modestly decorated with Fire Nation propaganda. A fluffy bed, piled with crimson pillows, was the highlight. Upon it, however, Katara noticed that several garments were laid out carefully.

"Zuko, what's this?" She asked, entering the room and picking up one of the pieces—and elegantly embroidered robe. It was constructed out of a gorgeous gold brocade fabric, with a traditional high collar and long, graceful sleeves.

The Fire Lord stepped forward and admired the garments. "I helped Aang pick them out for you. He said he wanted to surprise you sometime, and I figured this would be a good time."

Katara frowned and gave the clothes a second, quizzical glance. "Aang picked these out?"

"With my help," Zuko added, noticing Katara's expression change. "Sorry, I had them put here before you told me about…about the troubles you were having with him. I guess it doesn't help much."

Katara delicately brushed the fabrics with a tip of a finger, her eyes cast downward. "No, that's okay. It was sweet of him…and you."

"I hope you like them," The Fire Lord said, somewhat awkwardly. He slowly backed towards the door and out of the room. "Goodnight, Katara. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight," replied the waterbender absentmindedly. She heard the door shut, and only then did she dare to glance up. Finally, sighing in frustration, she threw the gown across the floor and collapsed onto the bed in a heap.

"What is wrong with me?" She asked herself. Her voice echoed off the metal walls for an instant, but then silence followed, and she was left without an answer.

Every gesture of love and romance that Aang made seemed to make Katara feel worse. She was touched by the effort he made to please her, but her guilt overwhelmed her. Aang loved her; he had expressed it to her—vocally and otherwise—so many times. But she felt she couldn't return the words, and she couldn't help remembering how much less complicated her life had been before Aang had told her about his feelings.

I'm confident that I like him, she thought to herself. I like spending time with him…but does that constitute love?

Katara laid there and pondered her situation. What exactly constitutes love? How would she know love from all the other intense feelings she'd felt? And—how was Aang so sure that he was in love with her?

Maybe I'm just not ready for it, and Aang is, Katara thought.

Exhaling slowly, Katara rose from the bed, moved across the room and picked up the golden robe from the floor. She carefully examined it, holding it out in front of her with both arms. It was so expertly crafted, and made from such beautiful material. It must have been expensive.

"It was really thoughtful of Aang to want to get me something," she admitted to herself.

The waterbender glanced back towards the bed. Two other outfits were laid across the now wrinkled blankets. One was another variation of the Fire Nation clothes she'd worn as a disguise before the fall of Fire Lord Ozai. It consisted of a long halter top, which was decorated with gold embroidery at the neck and spread gracefully over the hips, and a long, full skirt and matching gauntlets. The third outfit was the most striking, mostly because of its color. The deep blue hue contrasted greatly with the characteristic crimson shades that were most commonly found in Fire Nation markets. The fabric itself was unique—smooth, soft, and light—it was silk. The garment came in several layers, but it didn't take Katara a second glance to figure out that this was a more expensive, glamorous version of her Water Tribe clothing. The edge of each piece was stitched with silver thread, and a graceful heron design was embroidered along the wrapped collar. Gently, Katara picked up each garment, folded them and placed them away from the bed.

Slowly, Katara undressed and climbed underneath the sheets, trying to keep her mind off of Aang and the million other things that could trouble her. She had a job to do tomorrow, and that was the help Zuko restore peace in Ba Sing Se. She couldn't let superficial issues with her emotions distract her from the huge task they had ahead of them.

The waterbender recalled what Zuko had said earlier about him and Mai being "meant to be." She secretly wondered if the young Fire Lord believed that was true, and if she and Aang were destined to be together as well.

Katara remembered everything she'd heard about destiny during her travels and trials with Aang. Most of those comments had been meant for the Avatar, of course, but Katara had taken them to heart too. She believed that everyone had a destiny: Aang's was to defeat Fire Lord Ozai, and it had been hers and everyone else's place to assist him. Now that all of that was achieved, what was her destiny? Was she really meant to be with Aang?

I can see a great romance for you— the man you are going to marry…I can see that he is a very powerful bender.

Katara remembered the words the fortuneteller Aunt Wu had told her many months ago. Of course, the old woman's reputation for accuracy had suffered since then, but Katara still secretly wondered if Aunt Wu possessed some way of seeing into the future. After all, Aang was obviously a very powerful bender, but there had been more to Aunt Wu's prediction that seemed to indicate the Avatar was her future spouse. Katara remembered very clearly what she had been told.

"About this man I'm going to marry—is he handsome?" Katara pressed on excitedly as she entered Aunt Wu's chamber. "Oh, I hope he's tall!"

"Ah…" the elderly woman's eyebrows rose slightly. "…you want another reading."

"Yes, please!"

Eagerly, the waterbender followed the fortuneteller inside and seated herself neatly on one of the oversize pillows in front of the large circular fire pit. Somehow, she couldn't stop overexcited, idealized questions from pouring out of her mouth.

"Is he going to be sweet? Romantic? When will I meet him? How will he propose? And how will—"

Aunt Wu held up a hand, signaling for the girl to stop her chattering. "I see many adventures in your future. Your love will have shared similar experiences."

"Ooh…what else?"

"Lend me your palm," said the old woman tiredly, and Katara thrust forward her right hand. The fortuneteller examined it carefully, cocking her head from side to side as she did, and humming quietly to herself.

"In addition to being a powerful bender, the man you marry will be a great leader. You will overcome many conflicts together, and it is during these conflicts you will begin to fall in love."

"Tell me more!"

"Ah…alright…what would you like to know?" Aunt Wu's patience was thinning.

Katara mulled it over for a minute. "Tell me more about…him," she said dreamily.

"I see a man who has overcome many hardships, but this has made him strong. He has suffered great loss, and because of this he will cherish you. He will make great sacrifices to help your cause, and for you…there is one thing, however…"

"What's that? Is something wrong?"

"You will not trust your heart to this man right away. But you will eventually warm up to him, and it won't be long before your relationship blossoms into romance."

Katara was enchanted. "Can you tell how exactly we'll fall in love?"

Aunt Wu glanced at her again and raised an eyebrow. Sighing, she reexamined Katara's palm. "I cannot tell you exactly how, but what I can tell you is this: It will happen unexpectedly."

"But all that stuff she told me is so…vague!" Katara whispered to herself as she tossed around under the sheets. "But…Aang is a great bender and a great leader…and she did say that I wouldn't trust my heart to him right away."

It all seemed to make sense to her. Maybe Aunt Wu was credible after all—maybe Aang loving her was no coincidence—it was fate. And if this was the way it was meant to be, Katara's anxiousness about their relationship was expected and everything would be better in time.

For now, I have to concentrate on sleeping…Katara thought, even as her eyes fluttered closed. Despite her former nervousness, she was asleep in minutes, drifting into a dark, dreamless slumber.

Personal Thingy: Gotta keep things interesting for you. Gotta keep you guessing. Does it matter? No, because you know it will end up Zutara in the end! Also have for you this gem of a quote I found on an Avatar forum:

"You may have your Kataang ending, but I have the fact that Zuko was ready to give his life for Katara!" –Anonymous.

Yayness! Just another clue that our favorite Avatar coupling was meant to be. Sorry again, Kataang shippers, but the evidence is so there.