Aang just stared at the group as Katara waited for his answer. He was hoping that she was going to change her mind, but her expression did not change.
"Well, Aang? I need to know how to defend myself if you decide to try to kidnap me." Katara asked again. Aang just continued to stare at her. After several minutes of the avatar not saying a word, Katara just turned around and started back up the stairs to the palace. "Zuko, will you please speak to the guards and have extra posted around my chamber until Aang has made up his mind?"
"Yes, love. I will escort you back to your room. You look like you need to lie down." Zuko turned to follow her and took her arm to lead her back up the rest of the steps.
"Why don't you love me like I love you?" Aang finally spoke, asking the question softly. He sounded defeated. Katara and Zuko turned around on the stairs but didn't move back down to him.
"Feelings don't work like that, Aang. You don't choose who you fall in love with." Sokka explained gently.
"But why him?" Katara could see the tears in Aang's eyes. "They hated each other."
"Sometimes, hate can turn to love." Sokka answered. He then looked up at his sister and future brother-in-law. Anger still blazed in Zuko's eyes and Katara was trying to not shed tears. Sokka knew that they would be no help at that moment. Choosing his words carefully, he spoke to his sister and her fiancé first. "Zuko, please take my sister back to her room as you planned. Is Aang welcome to stay?" At Zuko's nod, Sokka turned to Aang. "I am sorry, but you will not get an answer right now. Katara is not feeling well and needs to rest for the next few days. If you wish to stay, you can. But you cannot cause my sister any more stress." Katara and Zuko had disappeared into the palace by that point.
"I need time. I can't stay here to watch their wedding festivities. I will return when I can." Aang replied quietly.
"Where will you be if we need to contact you?" Sokka asked.
"I..I don't know."
"Aang, I must warn you, after the wedding, there may be other announcements that may, uh, bring you further distress. I just want you to prepare if that should occur." Sokka couldn't break his promise to Katara about keeping her pregnancy silent, but he felt the need to warn Aang of possible further hurt.
0
"What kind of announcement?" Aang asked confused. "What more could there possibly be with my girl marrying another?"
"Don't dwell on that, Aang. You need to focus on letting go of your love for Katara." Sokka replied, a bit more forcefully. Even he was getting tired of Aang's refusal to accept that Katara didn't love him the same way he did her.
"I don't want to let go of my love for Katara. I want her to love me." Aang whined.
"She does love you, as a friend. You are going to have to take the time to grieve your loss, otherwise, you will never be able to be in her life at all. I know you don't want to lose Katara as a friend."
"No, you are right. I am just having trouble wrapping my head around this. I really thought she would come around to my way of thinking." Aang just sighed and started to head back toward Appa. Sokka watched him go and then turned back to Suki and Toph.
"Well, that didn't go very well." Toph said without inflection. Suki rolled her eyes at the earthbender's comment.
"Geez, Toph, you think?" Sokka joined his girlfriend in rolling his own eyes.
"I think I'd better go check on Katara. Zuko may love her, but he is clueless as to what she may need." Suki kissed Sokka on the cheek and bounded up the stairs to the palace.
When Suki entered Katara's chamber, Katara was laying down on the bed with Zuko sitting on the side of the bed, placing a cold compress on Katara's head. Apparently, Katara didn't need any help. Suki felt a stab of jealousy because she couldn't see Sokka doing the same thing. She silently turned out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She knew that Katara was in good hands.
"How are you really feeling?" Zuko questioned as he placed the cold compress on Katara's forehead.
"Drained. I secretly hoped that Aang wouldn't show up at all. This close to the wedding just makes me wish we could elope." Katara answered honestly.
"Are you going to be able to get through the next few days? The baby seems to just want to keep you in bed."
"I spoke to your uncle who gave me some teas and herbs I can take to keep the sickness down so I can enjoy our wedding."
"Good. I would like my future Fire Lady to enjoy her wedding day." Zuko leaned down and kissed her nose. Katara chuckled.
The wedding day came, and everything went as planned. Zuko and Katara were married as well as Katara officially being crowned Fire Lady. Katara stood proudly by her new husband as her new subjects cheered. Katara felt some peace once the vows were spoken and the coronation was performed because they had made it through without Aang making a scene. The baby behaved throughout the festivities, letting Katara enjoy the day. As happy as they both were to celebrate their wedding, both Katara and Zuko breathed sighs of relief when the doors finally closed behind them in Zuko's chambers.
"Well, now you are stuck with me for good." Zuko joked as he helped Katara take off her new crownpiece.
"I believe we were stuck with each other as soon as we did the deed to create this little creature." Katara replied, placing a hand on her slightly rounded stomach. Zuko pulled her into his arms.
"I guess you are right." Zuko chuckled as his lips came down to cover hers.