DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

"Coincidence"

1.) a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance

A young woman observed the spectacle in silent amusement. She propped herself up against the palace wall surrounding the royal garden, arms crossed over her chest, legs bent in a position of casualness. Lips stretched into a grin, unseeing eyes stared in the general direction of the two enraged boys, one a gentle monk and the other a, to put it lightly, dense warrior.

Had she been able to see the two boys, she would have giggled at the sight of the tinge of red seeping into Sokka's cheeks. She would have noticed Aang's lips were drawn into an accusative frown, eyes staring blankly at the scene before him.

Toph finally sighed, alerting the two "stealthy" spies to the presence of another within their midst.

Sokka and Aang spun around wildly, the clink of Sokka's swords being pulled from their holster made Toph want to roll her eyes.

"Sokka, maybe clinking metal around noisily is not the best way to stay inconspicuous." She spoke evenly, slowly, as though she were speaking to a child.

Sokka grumbled inchoherents, and the sound of his swords being replaced into their proper confinement could be heard.

A silence fell over the three people, a silence most would label as awkward. Well awkward for Aang and Sokka…especially the young monk.

The boy's grey eyes darted this way and that, anywhere but in the direction of his friends. He couldn't look at them, not while he was dealing with the internal tidal wave that was currently consuming him.

Katara, his Katara, was, at this very moment, kissing Zuko. Katara, of all people, had to fall for the arrogant fire bender.

Aang's thoughts turned bitter, hurling silent accusatives at the fire bender and the water bender. He didn't think he'd be able to live with the knowledge that his Katara was forever lost to him. It was as though the fates were doing nothing but pulling the avatar away from her, and hurling her into the arms of the fire bender at the same time.

Aang was an observant learner, but he'd give anything to be able to have this particular knowledge stripped from him.

He didn't want to constantly be reminded that Katara was never, and would never, be his. She was apparently destined to be with Zuko, the new Fire Lord; why else would she be twined into his arms as though she was especially created for him?

Aang's stomach lurched. What if she was….?

The fates had carefully plotted all the hurt and anger and, Agni forbid, love that was embedded into the paths of the two wandering souls. It wasn't just coincidence; just like his place as the avatar wasn't a coincidence. Just like his defeating Fire Lord Ozai wasn't a coincidence.

Aang glanced, one last time at the scene in front of him. Katara….

The beautiful woman was pressed against a shading tree, drooping leaves and vines forming a veil of sorts so as to conceal the two lovers from the three spectators. Her eyes were closed in contentment, fingers threaded into the new Fire Lord's dark hair.

Zuko's hands were around her back, pulling her closer to his body.

A soft moan was released, whether from the lips of Katara or the lips of Zuko, Aang could not be certain; his pain was clouding everything else around him.

Aang watched, heart burning with hurt and pain. Eyes stung with unshed tears, lips trembled.

His hand fisted dangerously, almost shattering the object curled in his fingers.

He had forgotten.

He didn't even glance down as the object he had so carefully and painstakingly created was tossed to the dirt as if it were of no importance.

The pale ribbon fluttered to and fro, as if attempting to soothe Aang's dismal emotions. The pendant made of blue sea glass slightly shattered internally as it made contact with the ground.

Dirt and grass would soon cover the trinket, and nobody would be the wiser.

If the beautiful piece of colored glass, the dominant color a royal blue with spirals of gold and pink implanted into the substance, was seen again, the lucky viewer would notice that when Aang's betrothal necklace made contact with the ground, the broken pieces inside formed the pattern of a flame…

Do you still believe in coincidence, even after hearing this tale?

*****I really, really liked this one. But, it was EXTREMELY hard to write out exactly what I wanted in that last paragraph. I hope it sounded alright.

Thanks all! REVIEW!!

~Moonlit-Silhouette