Disclaimer: AtLA is property of VIACOM and Nickelodeon. No profit is made from this story.

Notes: Once again, a ridiculously long chapter. Sorry.

Katara decided that mornings in the South Pole were very different from the ones in the Fire Nation.

In the Fire Nation, everybody awoke at the same time – after all, Firebenders rose with the sun. The sound Katara had waked up to every morning was the sound of many footsteps on the Fire Nation Palace's wooden floors, voices talking.

But in the South Pole, things were different. The first noise Katara heard was that of children talking and laughing loudly, snow crunching under footsteps. The sound of the footfalls came closer and heaver, and then –

'Katara!' chorused a multitude of voices as her tent flap swung open.

Katara sat up and looked up, two young, eager faces peering nervously and excitedly into hers.

'See?' said the girl smugly, crossing her arms, 'I told you she was back.'

'Akako.' Katara smiled, recognizing the face – the little girl had grown up so much! Two years had passed since she had last seen her young friend, and the difference was obvious.

Doing some frantic mental math, Katara guessed that Akako looked about eight or nine – she had been roughly six when Katara had left. The girl still wore her hair in plaits that were turned up. Her hair was darker, almost as dark as her own. She was taller; her face had lost its roundness. Katara felt a small pang in her chest when she saw that Akako was wearing some of her old clothes, but quickly brushed those feelings aside. She would deal with them later.

'Hi!' Akako grinned, but quickly turned to look back at one of the boys standing at her side. 'See? I told you my teacher would come eventually!'

'Yeah, but – but,' the boy at Akako's side protested quickly, 'she hasn't said yes yet!'

'Boys,' sighed Akako. She scampered across the tent floor, and crouched down at Katara's side, taking her hand in her own. Her eyes were wide and imploring. 'Katara, will you please be my waterbending teacher?'

'Wait, what?' Katara was lost for words. Akako was a waterbender? 'When did this happen?'

Akako looked pleased. 'Right after you left. Some ro …' she trailed off uncertainly, looking at the boy – Katara assumed that he was Akako's brother – for help.

'Rogues,' he corrected.

'Right. Rogues. Anyway, some rogues from the Fire Nation came here.' Katara gasped in surprise, but Akako quickly hurried on with her story. 'Oh, don't worry, they were nice rogues. They were running away from the army because they didn't like it there, so Gran Gran said that they could stay her for a few days because one of them was really sick. And for dinner that night she made some stew and Koji,' she glanced once at her brother, 'and I had to take it to them. And because it was winter the ground was all icy, and Koji slipped on it and fell. The bowl hit the ground all funny and broke,' Akako grimaced, 'but before the stew fell into the snow and got all soaked up I caught it! I was able to hold it in the air, so Koji ran back to Gran Gran's tent and got another bowl. Later Gran Gran said she wanted to talk to me, and then she told me that I was a waterbender like you.' Akako paused for breath. 'And that's how I found out I could waterbend. I've been practicing ever since. Master Pakku shows me some moves when he isn't busy building houses, but he said it would be better if you taught me because you're from the South Pole too.'

Feeling a little overwhelmed, Katara wasn't entirely sure of what to say. So she wasn't the last – sane – Southern Tribe waterbender after all; she had Akako. And now it looked like she was going to get another waterbending pupil, so soon after her previous one left her.

'Katara?' asked Akako nervously.

Katara tried to smile. 'Of course Akako, I'd love to be your teacher.'

Akako squealed. 'Really? You really, really mean it? Really?'

She laughed, but it felt strained. 'We can tonight if you like.'

Akako's face fell. 'Does it have to be so late? Are you busy today? Mom said not to make you do this if you were busy and-'

'Oh,' Katara almost laughed genuinely this time, 'it's nothing like that. It's just that waterbending is always strongest at night – it's because we get our strength from the moon spirit – and that way it'll be easier for you to waterbend. You'll get the moves quicker.'

Akako squealed louder, and then quickly put her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. Koji sighed and rolled his eyes.

'Yes, yes, that's great,' he said, grabbing Akako's arm and dragging her out of the tent, 'let's go. See you tonight, Katara.'

'Meet you outside Gran Gran's tent!' cried out Akako.

Katara took a deep breath, trying to take everything in. Akako was a waterbender. She had just agreed to be Akako's teacher. Pakku had been teaching Akako – at this thought she genuinely smiled. How come Sokka hadn't told her? Did he even know? Gran Gran clearly had.

She stood up, picking up her parka and sliding it on over her dress, pulling her hair up into a bun as she left the tent.

It was cool outside, not overly cold, but there was an undeniable chill in the morning breeze. At the edge of the village she saw several red-gold flames bursting from nowhere before disappearing into it again. The splash of red against the icy background continued his firebending practice, oblivious to the audience of children that cautiously watched from a distance.

'Wow.' Katara looked down – it was Koji. Akako must have run off somewhere. 'That's amazing,' he breathed. He saw Katara, and turned around. 'Did you really fight Zuko at the North Pole?'

'That was me.'

'How'd you beat him?' Koji's blue eyes were wide and curious.

'I didn't. He sort of firebended me into a tree,' Katara realized she wasn't as good as explaining things as Akako, 'and knocked me out. It was Sokka and Appa who helped me find Aang later – then I sort of smacked Zuko into the ground and knocked him out too.'

'Was Momo there too?'

As if he had heard his name, the lemur seemingly appeared out of nowhere, chittering loudly, and landing on Katara's shoulder. She reached up to stroke Momo's soft coat, feeling a bit guilty for not going to visit him sooner. At least he looked happy.

'Of course,' she said. Momo chattered, sounding pleased. 'He waited at the Spirit Oasis for Aang.'

'Did he really sit on Avatar Aang's shoulder before he fought Ozai? Was he really there?'

'That was Momo,' said Katara, smiling. Remembering.

'Cool.' Koji turned back to look at Zuko's firebending.

There was a loud roar from Appa, and Momo screeched several octaves higher than normal, gliding over to where Appa was standing, before happily sitting down on the sky bison's head. She could tell just from looking that Momo had missed Appa – the lemur was now resting his chin on Appa's head, looking content.

There was a flash of light and a rush of sudden heat. By now more children had gathered at Katara's side, and were watching Zuko. He was very fast and deadly; almost like a snake-rat – and never stopped moving. Every time she thought Zuko had stopped or paused for breath there was another fireblast. There were no holes in his defense.

As she watched, Katara absentmindedly bended a thin stream of water out of the ground, twirling it around her arm, thinning and thickening it as she pleased. Koji noticed.

'So Master Pakku taught you how to waterbend, right?'

'Yes.'

Koji frowned. 'But Gran Gran told Akako that at the North Pole, girls weren't allowed to learn to learn to waterbend to fight.'

'They're not.' A not of pride crept into Katara's voice. 'But I fought him. I lost – but after that Master Pakku agreed to teach me anyway.'

'Okay. You also fought other waterbenders too? Like the bloodbender Hama?'

Katara felt her heart skip several beats. Sure, family stories were nice to pass around the fire, but she hadn't expected Sokka to tell stories about that particular encounter …

Katara tried to keep her voice calm. 'I did. Fortunately I beat my opponent that time.'

'Do you think you'd still be able to beat Zuko?' chimed in a little girl.

'Umm. I don't know. Maybe. It depends.' Katara bit down on her lip. 'I don't think we'd ever really have to now that…' She trailed off.

'Why don't you find out?' asked the girl eagerly.

'Wha-?'

'Fight him!' chorused the group, which was much larger than before.

'Guys,' she said quickly, 'I don't think that Zuko would really want to fight me. I mean, after all, we're sort of on a vacation here…'

*

'I feel ridiculous.' Katara bent her right knee forward, creating a deep stretch in her lower left leg.

'You're not alone.' Zuko's position was similar to her own, only one hand was clenched into the fist, the other spread out, palm facing her.

'How did we get into this?'

Katara shrugged. 'I don't really know. Do you want to start?'

Maybe it was the all-too-familiar setting. Maybe it was pure instinct. Maybe it was the look on Zuko's face as he said 'yes'. Whatever it was, it caused a chill to run straight through her, from the base of the neck to the soles of her feet.

There was a faint hissing sound, and to her surprise, she saw that Zuko had bended two long fire whips. Quickly, without thinking, she pulled two large globes of water out of the ground and spread them up her arms into water-sleeves.

I thought you'd changed.

They both attacked simultaneously, Zuko's fire-whips hissing when they came into contact with the water. The impact caused Katara to stagger sideways several steps, but she quickly regained her balance – just in time to raise the water-sleeves to deflect Zuko's oncoming attack.

Smack. Again there was the hissing.

Several children cheered, but Katara didn't let it distract her. Forgetting the water-sleeves, she bent a thick coil of water out of the snowy ground – an advantage of being at the South Pole – and sent a well-aimed water whip at Zuko. She managed to bend it around his leg and was about to tug when there was a sudden searing sensation in her side and she let go, crying out from the pain.

'Sorry!' called out Zuko, at least having the decency to sound apologetic.

'None taken!' The ground below Zuko's feet shifted – an icy wave appeared below his feet, flinging him across the ground, smacking him into the snow. Katara smiled.

The fight continued for several minutes, and from then on neither of them spoke – there was only the cheering from the children and the occasional grunt from Katara or Zuko when there was effort involved.

Out of the corner of her eye, Katara saw that Akako had joined the group. The young girl was standing at Konji's side, watching the battle intently.

Katara ducked a fire-whip, fisted her hands, and made a pulling motion, as if hauling the air towards her. The ground beneath Zuko's feet froze, abruptly stopping him mid-stride, unbalancing him. There was a soft thud as his palms hit the snowy floor, a crackling as the ice crept up his arms.

'Go Katara!' called out one of the children.

Zuko took a deep breath and too late Katara saw the steam and realized what he was doing – then he was up and in front of her, all of a sudden they were so close she could hear his every breath, she pulled up a water whip and –

Zuko grabbed her wrists. The water splashed onto the ground. Katara tried to pull away, but his grip was vice-like.

'On your knees, water peasant,' he growled playfully, eyes dancing. Was it possible that Zuko was having … fun?

There was a loud 'boo' from the children.

'You wish!' She wrenched herself to the side in an attempt to loosen his grip, but Zuko moved with her, twisting her arms around so that they were pinned behind her back.

But Katara wasn't giving up just yet – she kicked upwards, right between Zuko's legs. He groaned and let go – she heard Sokka's laughter, loud above that of the children's, and wondered when he had arrived to watch them. Whirling around, Katara bent a wall of pure snow out of the ground, and with a flick of her wrist sent it crashing down on top Zuko. The audience roared with laughter – Sokka the loudest of them all. Katara glanced across to where her brother was standing, slightly amused when she saw that he was holding his stomach, doubled over. Zuko blinked, and the snow began to melt, steam rising into the air. The only visible part of him was his golden eyes.

There was a pause.

'I feel extremely undignified.' There was muffled laughter, no doubt courtesy of Sokka.

'You look like a snowman!' spluttered Sokka loudly, wheezing with laughter.

Zuko was muttering. 'You soaked me right through. I can't feel my feet. Why does the South Pole have to be so cold?'

Katara's hand flew up to her mouth as she tried to suppress a giggle.

'What?' snapped Zuko – somehow the duel had unofficially ended.

'You really do look like a snowman!'

Zuko groaned, and his palm hit his forehead.

*

'Okay,' said Katara to Akako, 'since you haven't really learnt much waterbending I'm going to start with teaching you the basics.'

Akako nodded. 'Sure. Okay.'

'Firstly, flexibility is very important when it comes to bending. A bender needs to be agile and quick, you need to be able to move before your enemy has attacked –'

'Like with Zuko?'

'Huh?' Katara was caught off guard.

Akako shrugged. 'You were ducking Zuko's fireblasts when you fought him, you were really, really fast. It was like you knew what he was going to do before he did it. You must know him pretty well.'

Katara raised and lowered one shoulder, clearing her throat. 'Right. I suppose so. Anyway,' she continued, 'the point is that you need to be flexible to be a bender, a lot of waterbending poses require deep leg stretches – although waterbenders use their arms and hands for most fighting, we rely on our legs to keep us stable. So I'm going to show you some stretches for you to do every morning which will help with that. Just make sure not to push yourself too hard, or you'll end up hurting yourself.'

She moved into the first pose, a simple leg stretch, Akako quickly copied her movements. The girl grimaced.

'Don't worry,' assured Katara, 'it gets easier.'

Akako leaned further, and groaned.

'Okay, move onto another one.' Exhaling deeply, Katara leaned down and touched her toes. A burning sensation tore through the backs of her legs - I should have been doing these more regularly – but as the seconds ticked by the burning died down.

'You okay?' she grunted. There was a small 'mmm' from Akako that she decided to take as a 'yes'.

Katara stood up, breathing inwards. 'Okay, that's enough stretching for now. Let's try some actual waterbending,' at this Akako's face lit up like a lamp, 'copy my moves.'

Slowly and carefully, making her moves especially deliberate, Katara showed Akako how to bend a small globe of water out of the ground and move it around in the air. Once she was done she stood, carefully watching her pupil. Akako's moves, although they lacked the liquid smoothness necessary for a waterbending master, were actually pretty good – she had potential.

The silence was broken by a sudden splash – Akako had dropped the sphere.

'Oops,' she said, 'sorry.'

'Don't worry,' said Katara, 'you almost had it. Just keep your wrists loose next time, otherwise it becomes really hard to stop it from falling.'

Akako nodded, and proceeded to try the move again. This time Katara decided to offer advice while Akako was bending.

'Okay, you've got it in the air,' she interjected, 'now shift your weight into your other leg, use it as a sort of base when you pull the sphere up – don't leave any weight in your other foot.'

'Hey, can I try a water whip?' asked Akako, already shifting her stances in preparation. 'I saw you doing them earlier – they looked kinda easy.'

'Sure, I guess,' said Katara – it was a good thing that Akako was using her initiative, right?

Katara had been in plenty of ridiculous situations before: she'd been tied to a tree, swallowed bugs while gliding at the Northern Air Temple, buried alive by a half-mad general – although that hadn't been really funny at the time, or even now, come to think of it – stuck in a desert while unable to waterbend, and had lighting shot at her by an insane princess, just to name a few of them.

But it was a first for her when she was water-whipped in the face by a nine year-old.

Katara spluttered a mouthful of water out onto the ground, and Akako began apologizing.

'Sorry!' she cried out, her voice slightly panicked. 'I didn't mean for it to hit you –'

Katara used the back of her hand to wipe the water off of her face.

'- but it was going really well and I thought I had it but then it slipped!'

'Don't worry, I'm fine,' said Katara reassuringly, 'no harm done.' At least you didn't force some old guy into a waterbending duel and proceed to throw punches at him.

'Oh. Okay.' Akako blushed.

'If it's any help,' said Katara gently, 'you did really well for your first go, it took me ages to get the water whip right.' She smiled. 'Now all you need to do is work on your aim.'

Akako laughed. 'Yeah … about tha-'

'Akako!'

Both master and pupil spun around. Koji was standing a few meters away from them. He looked slightly flushed, almost as if he had been running.

'Mom says it's time for dinner and she wants you inside now! As in before I go to the Spirit World!'

'Aww, but I've only been here a few minutes!'

'More like half an hour! Now hurry up, it's gonna get cold!'

'Yeah, but we were talking!' protested Akako. 'Katara was telling me about the time that she stole a waterbending scroll and –'

'Akako!'

The girl sighed, and glanced at Katara. 'Can we train again tomorrow?'

'Sure. How about late afternoon? You should start daytime training as well.'

'Okay! See you then!' called out Akako over her shoulder as she ran over to her brother.

Koji grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her back to their tent. Katara watched them walk to their tent together, Akako was clearly telling Koji about her training – Katara could tell from the way she spoke quickly and excitedly – while it was clear that Koji wasn't really paying attention. They were met at the tent door by their mother, who quickly ushered them inside.

That could have been us.

Katara's throat closed up. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry … She was crying. Well, not crying exactly, just … tearing up. There was the sound of footsteps crunching down on the snow.

'Katara?'

Spirits, why did it always have to be him? Katara racked her brains for a reason to explain the tears, maybe she was –

There was a hand on her shoulder, and she was jolted out of her thoughts.

'So you really did take on another waterbending student?'

'That was me.' Her voice cracked, and she felt Zuko's grip on her shoulder tighten for just a second, then it relaxed.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' She shrugged, and sighed. 'It's just … this place holds many memories for me. Not all of them are good.'

Zuko walked around so that he was facing her, hand still on her shoulder. He looked concerned.

'Do you want to talk about it?'

Katara shook her head, and, for the second time when Zuko opened his arms, she walked right into his embrace and stayed there.

'I'm being ridiculous,' she said, her voice all choked up, 'I mean, all of the other kids here have moms – I don't see why I had to get upset when I saw Akako and Koji's –'

Zuko's grip tightened. 'It's okay to be upset,' he said, 'it's so much like you and Sokka – only this is,' he paused, 'it's what could have been.'

'What should've been,' whispered Katara.

'I know.' Zuko paused. 'Her name's Akako, right?'

Katara nodded.

'So will she be coming back to the Fire Nation with us, or …' Zuko stopped, his eyes searching hers.

Katara shrugged. 'I –' she wiped her eyes and stepped out of the embrace, 'I didn't really think about that. I just agreed to teach her. Apparently Pakku told her that I should be her teacher because we're both from the South Pole.'

'So will you take her with you?'

Her eyes welled up again – because she already knew the answer. And somehow, Zuko knew too. 'I can't. If Akako goes, she'll be leaving behind her entire family. It was different for me, I had Sokka.'

'You left your grandmother.'

'That was different. The only person who stayed behind was Gran Gran, and she knew why I had to go, she understood. But Akako would have to leave her parents, her brother … I'm not going to do that to her. She's only nine years old. She needs her family.'

'Katara, please. Don't.'

Then Katara looked up, and held back a gasp. Zuko's eyes – well, his good one at least – were wide. They were full of something indescribable. His voice had broke on the word 'please' and somehow she knew that he was begging her.

'At least talk to her parents. Maybe Koji could come too-'

'Zuko.' The one word, his name, stopped him mid-sentence – and Zuko's pleas were breaking her heart. 'I'm going to train Akako here. I'm sorry.'

He lowered his gaze. Then: 'How long does it take to train a waterbender?'

Katara tried to keep her words steady, stop the tears from coming. She had to be strong for herself and Zuko. 'I don't know,' she admitted truthfully, 'it takes as long as it takes.'

Zuko's head shot up. 'You don't get it, do you? You don't want Akako to abandon her family so you're staying here but don't you understand that you're abandoning me?'

'Zuko!' Katara couldn't believe it. She had hurt him. The cycle had finally completed.

'What? It's true!'

All of a sudden Zuko wasn't the Fire Lord any more – he was a just another kid like herself and she was really mad at him for being so selfish.

'Fine, you want to hear the truth?' Katara stomped her foot down on the ground – the snow muffling the thud her foot made, and now it didn't sound nearly as satisfactory. 'I can't believe you're being so self-centered! Akako needs a waterbending teacher and –'

'This isn't about you!'

Katara abruptly shut her mouth, eyes narrowed.

Zuko took a shaky inward breath. 'Do you remember what happened last time I left?'

She closed her eyes.

'I will never forget.'

After …

The distinctive scent of smoke still hung thick in the air, wherever she went, no matter which room she sought solace in, Katara could not escape the burning smell of Aang's ashes. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see that Appa was still huddled by the giant fire, his furry chin pressed against the ground. Momo was sitting on the sky bison's head, not making a sound.

In her hands she held a knife. Of course bloodbending would have done just as an effective job, but she had vowed never to use it again and Katara had never been one to treat a promise lightly.

*

'Bring Aang back to us – to me – in one piece. Do whatever it takes.'

'I promise.'

*

Katara had never thought that a broken promise would be the end of her. Now all that was left was finding a room. Katara walked down the hallway, away from the main courtyard where no doubt everyone still was, and as she did wondered if, one hundred years ago, Aang had walked on these very stone floors. She doubted that his purposes had been as morbid as her own.

'Katara?'

It seemed as if Zuko had appeared out of nowhere, he was standing before her, but more likely than not, she had simply not noticed him approach her. Then he saw the knife. And she could tell that Zuko knew what she was about to do.

In a flash Zuko had gripped her wrist, the one holding the blade and she let it completely slacken, the knife dropping onto the floor, clattering loudly.

Zuko said nothing because there was nothing left to say. His gaze burned into her own.

'What were you thinking?' His voice was hoarse and hollow. 'How could you even consider doing that to us? You have a family that loves you, and friends who care about you!'

Katara now refused to look at him. 'Stay out of this,' she said through gritted teeth, 'it's my decision and none of your business.'

His grip became tighter. 'It's my business because I care enough to make it my business.'

Katara looked up, just in time to see Zuko's face soften – but not in a gentle way. His eyes were wells of pain.

'Don't. Please.' His voice was barely a whisper. 'Please.' He paused. 'Aang wouldn't want this.'

Katara felt her blood freeze. 'Don't you da-'

'He'd want you to stay alive,' continued Zuko quickly, seeing that what he had said had stopped her, 'he would've wanted you to live a long life.'

'Stop it!' hissed Katara. To her horror, everything was blurry. Zuko was right.

'Katara, please. I'm begging you. Don't go. Stay with us.'

She looked up at Zuko, her heart hammering away in her chest, cheeks streaked with tears.

Now …

Zuko's gaze pierced her own.

'Don't promise me anything,' he said quietly, 'because I've had to watch what a broken one does to a person. Just …' he paused, obviously trying to find the right words, '… don't go.'

Katara nodded. She understood what he was trying to say. 'I'll try my best.'

Stuff:

- I apologize for the slightly morbid ending to this chapter. Hopefully the next one will be happier. And just remember, Katara was extremely upset when she was at the Southern Air Temple. Read carefully and you'll probably figure out that it was right after Aang's cremation. She's not going to try and kill herself any time soon.

- She felt the need to justify herself to Zuko. And he never once tried to forcibly stop her. Interesting, mmm? xD (Well this is Zutara after all!)

- Once again, sorry to all those people out there who are angry that Katara decided to stay at the South Pole. Don't worry, they'll be together again soon!