Chapter Thirty

There came a slight noise, like the opening of a door, and Katara turned in expectation. She had waited here for him, like she had promised. A small smile crossed her face and she rose to greet him.

"Zuko."

Zuko smiled at the sight of her. He had only been gone a few days, a week at most. And yet here she was, waiting for him. He drew her into a tight hug, savoring the feel of her. "Katara." She pulled away and he smiled down at her. She was so beautiful.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace. On it hung a sapphire pendant, as blue as her eyes. Zuko took hold of her hand and poured the necklace onto her palm. "This is for you," he whispered. "A necklace to match your beauty."

Katara looked down at the necklace and her heart hitched. "Oh, Zuko…"

-------Alternate ending 1-------

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with love. "You didn't have to give me this."

Zuko's smile grew and he took the necklace from her to clasp it around her throat. "I didn't, but I wanted to." Suddenly, a blush appeared across his cheeks. "I hope…I hope that you'll come back to the Fire Nation with me." He looked away. "But I'd understand if…"

Katara laughed and threw her arms about him. "Oh, Zuko. I will. Of course I will!" She kissed him. "I love you and I never want to be without you."

Her laughter was contagious. Zuko joined in and twirled her about. "I love you, too, Katara."

After a long while, the two were quiet and Katara's sapphire eyes fixed to Zuko's golden ones. "Shall we go tell the others?" she asked quietly.

Zuko grinned and took a step towards the door. "I'll race you there," he replied, before turning and darting back into the temple.

"Hey!" Katara yelled, running after him. She tried to frown, but it soon dissolved into a grin. She couldn't help it. Everything was so…perfect.

As Katara left the water garden, two figures appeared, hand in hand. They stared at the empty doorway for a moment and then turned to each other, smiling gently as the wind ruffled their clothes. They free. Free, after so long, to love each other again. Behind them, the sun began to set, setting the pools of water ablaze. For the barest of moments, it looked almost like an ocean of fire…

The End

-------Alternate ending 2------

As her eyes roamed the beauty of the silver necklace, Katara's heart grew heavy at what she had come here to do. Her face fell and she reached out to take hold of Zuko's hand. "Never believe for an instant that I don't love you," she whispered.

Zuko stared at Katara as she pressed the necklace back into his hand. His heart stilled and horror shot through his body. What was wrong?

"But I…I can't abandon my people, my tribe," she went on. Tears began to well in her sapphire eyes and a single tear slipped down her smooth cheek. "They need me, and I can't let them flounder in the dark, not when they've asked me to help."

Zuko reached out to touch her cheek, his other hand still clutching the necklace. Her necklace. "Katara…" It seemed his heart was breaking and he knew that tears were welling in his own eyes.

A single sound of pain escaped her and Katara moved away. "I'm so sorry, Zuko," came the frightened whisper. "But I have to go." She shook her head. "I can't except this necklace, not when I have to leave."

Zuko was silent a moment, trying to think past the pain. And then he took a step closer. With slow, deliberate movements, he reached behind her and clasped the necklace about her throat. "I understand, Katara," he lied softly. He looked away. His next words truer than anything ever spoken. "I love you with everything I am, Katara, and I will never forget you. Never." And with those words, he turned and left the garden, never looking back.

Alone, Katara let the tears fall faster. A sob rose from her throat and she slowly followed Zuko and left the garden. She was afraid, really, and she was needed. Though the war was finally over, she couldn't selfish. Her people needed her. She couldn't abandon them, no matter how much pain it caused her.

In the garden, two figures appeared, just as the sun was setting. They turned to each other, pain in their eyes.

"They have parted ways," the man said.

The woman nodded and then sent a small, sad smile to her companion. "But their love remains. We are free."

"But at what cost?" he asked her.

Savitri turned and wrapped her arms around Nilam. "They will find each other again, Nilam. I am certain of it." She turned her head to look at his handsome face, a tiny smile playing about her lips. "And I have a feeling we'll have something to do with it. After all, she still carries the stone, does she not?"

Nilam looked down at her. "She does at that." He hugged her closer. "She does at that."

The End