Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA or any of its content. This is a work of fan fiction.

A/N: I just want to say thank you so much for reading my fics and for giving me feedback on them. I read every single review and always smile at them, including the constructive criticism because that makes me a better writer. I started this for fun for myself and it makes me so genuinely happy that other people are enjoying my hobby :)

As always I hope you enjoy:)

After a long week in Ba Sing Se discussing the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom, the gaang had made their way back to the Fire Nation. A few of them had gone their own way for a bit, leading to a very heartfelt, "see you later."

Toph headed back to the Earth Kingdom for the time being and Sokka to the Southern Water Tribe to help rebuild. Of course Mai, Suki, Zuko, and Ty Lee stayed in the Fire Nation, and Zuko had requested Aang's presence as well. Katara had gone back and forth over whether she wanted to go home with her brother or stay with Aang, but eventually came to the decision that she would stay in the Fire Nation for a little bit. Of course her, Sokka, and Aang would head out for the Fire Nation colonies in a couple of weeks, but Aang and Zuko needed to figure out a plan for that first, and Sokka had wanted to go and visit home for a bit.

Katara sat by the pond under the shade of a tree. She watched the turtle ducks as she let her mind wander. It was summer in the Fire Nation, which made things unbearably hot during the day. Being in the shade or in the water were the only ways to get some relief from the heat.

It had only been about a week since Sokka left and he would be soon, but Katara still found herself missing him dreadfully. This was the first time she'd been apart from him for this long.

"Hey, Katara. You okay?" Came a light voice from behind her, pulling her from her thoughts.

Katara turned her head to see Suki standing a few feet away. Katara didn't know this, but one of the reasons Sokka had been okay with taking the time to go home and leave his sister was because he had asked Suki to watch out for her. He knew she could handle herself. That wasn't what he was worried about, but he wanted her to know that she wasn't alone, that someone was in her corner.

"Oh, yeah. I miss Sokka, and it's so hot here!" Katara answered.

Suki nodded and gave a soft smile, moving to sit next to Katara. "I miss him too, and try wearing these uniforms! Ty Lee and I are looking to make a few changes so we don't overheat. I'm glad she showed us a special technique to make sure our makeup doesn't melt off," said Suki.

Katara hadn't even thought about that, and she let out a light laugh. "Yeah that is a good thing," she said.

The two of them sat chatting for a few minutes before Suki asked, "how are things going with Aang?" To which Katara blushed profusely before answering, "really good. I feel like we waited so long for this, it's surreal that we're finally together!"

Suki nodded, understanding where Katara was coming from. When Sokka had left Kyoshi island, she didn't know if she'd ever see him again. When she saw him at the Ba Sing Se ferry terminal she honestly couldn't believe her eyes. Then she'd had to leave again, eventually getting captured along with the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. That day in her cell when Sokka came in she thought she must have been dreaming. When they finally made it out of The Boiling Rock she'd fallen asleep on Sokka's shoulder on the airship, and was shocked to wake up and have him still be there.

"Well, Sokka and I were talking before he left-" Suki got cut off by Katara, "oh Suki, please I don't want to hear about my brother and his stupid 'oogies' I don't even know what that means!"

Suki laughed, "no not that, we were talking about the four of us, you and me and Sokka and Aang, going on a double date."

Katara's eyes lit up at this, "I'd really like that!"

Suki smiled, "well I think he meant it as a surprise, so don't tell him I told you. He's on his way back though. When he gets back we'll go on that date."

Katara's smile widened at this, and the two girls continued to sit there discussing how they wanted this date to go.

Aang, Katara, and Suki watched as Sokka's boat made its way into the Fire Nation harbor. It had only been a few weeks, but all of them were very ready to have him back.

"Sokka!" Cried Suki as she ran to meet him when he stepped off the boat. Aang and Katara shared a look over the sweet reunion before making their way over to the other couple.

Aang grabbed Katara's hand as they walked up to Sokka and Suki, this caused Sokka to look at them with a scowl.

"Oh c'mon Sokka, you can't invite them on a double date and expect them to not hold hands," Suki said, laughing, as she herself was now holding Sokka's hand.

"Yeah, Sokka!" Katara retorted, before giving her brother a big hug. "I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too, all of you," Sokka replied.

After Sokka had taken a day to rest and recover from his trip, the group was finally getting ready to go on their double date.

"What do you think?" Katara asked Suki as she spun around in an orange and yellow dress. Suki smiled, "Katara you look beautiful!" Katara's cheeks flushed at this, "I wanted to surprise Aang and wear Air Nation colors, but I was a little worried that they wouldn't look good on me."

"I think you look lovely," Suki said as she carefully did her makeup.

"Hey Suki?" Katara asked as she watched her.

"Yeah?" Suki replied as she turned to face Katara.

"Do you think you could help me with my makeup? I've only ever done it a few times, and well...I'd appreciate some tips," Katara said as she played with her hair.

Suki smiled, "of course, Katara!"

The two girls walked outside to where the boys were waiting. Both boys blushed intensely when they saw the girls.

Aang's jaw dropped seeing his girlfriend--girlfriend he still couldn't believe he got to call Katara that now-- in his nation's colors.

Meanwhile, Sokka was having a very similar reaction to seeing Suki. She was wearing the traditional green of the earth kingdom, and it made her blue eyes pop.

"You look amazing, Katara," Aang said quietly into her ear as the group began to walk toward the restaurant. "You look really good yourself," she said, blushing. "Can I hold your hand?" He asked her. She nodded with a smile.

"This is so weird," Sokka whispered to Suki. Suki smiled softly, "what is, honey?"

"Aang dating my sister."

"It was kind of obvious, don't you think?"

"Yes, but...they've just both grown up so much in the past year."

Suki smiled at this, "it's the not fact that they're dating that's freaking you out, it's the fact that you're beginning to not see them as kids anymore, isn't it?" She asked.

Sokka nodded slowly as the four of them approached the restaurant.

"Ah I missed the Fire Nation food while I was back home," Sokka said when the meal came out.

"Eh, it's alright. They don't have very many vegetarian options," Aang cut in.

Katara's heart hurt thinking about the food at home. She missed it, her home that is, more than she cared to admit. She loved Aang and was very grateful she had decided to stay with him, but after all the years of anger at her dad for leaving, now she was the one gone. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty over that.

"Are you okay, sweetie? Aang asked her.

Katara snapped out of her thoughts and said, "yes, just hungry!"

"Well dig in!" Said Sokka, who couldn't help over hearing.

The four of them chatted long after they had finished their food, recalling stories from the past year.

"You know it's coming up on a year since we found you in the iceberg," Sokka said with a smile.

Katara laughed at this, "should we celebrate?"

"No, no, let's not celebrate my running away and practically being the cause of a war," said Aang, embarrassed.

"I wouldn't say you were the cause, but you sure were the reason it ended!" Sokka chimed in.

"We should get a cake!" Said Suki, who was slowly catching on to Sokka's saracasm and teasing.

"I agree. We should celebrate the day I met my boyfriend," Katara said, blushing. This caused Aang to also blush intensely, and the whole table erupted into laughter. That is until a fireball came hurdling toward them.

"We can't go anywhere!" Sokka exclaimed, quickly knocking the table up to use as a shield.

Sokka, Suki, and, Katara began to fight back, but Aang stood up and yelled, "we don't have to fight! Whatever is going on, let's just talk it out."

"Did you talk with Firelord Ozai? Came a voice. It was a man wearing a waiters uniform. It seemed the entire restaurant staff was wanting to fight them. They had been right there the entire time.

"I tried," Aang said with a shrug. At this point everyone was standing up and Sokka felt the need to say, "if your whole disguise was the restaurant why not just poison our food?"

"shoot, that's a good idea," said another man in a chef's hat.

"Are you actually a cook?" Sokka asked the "chef."

"Sokka! Not the time!" Katara retorted, but he ignored her.

"I'm not," the guy in chef's hat said.

"You might wanna consider that as a career instead of...well instead of whatever this is. Your food was incredible!" Sokka said, causing the man to smile sheepishly, "really?" He asked.

Sokka started to answer, but was interrupted by the man dressed as a waiter, "enough! We have a job to do and we're gonna finish it." Without any warning he shot a fireball directly at Aang, who easily deflected it, but something else hit Aang clear in the head from behind.

"Aang!" Katara let out a scream as he was knocked unconscious.

That's the end of ch 1, ch 2 is coming soon:) thanks for reading!