Katara stood on her balcony and stared at the beauty that was the Fire Nation.  It had been a month since Ozai was defeated and so much had happened.  They all had helped rebuild after the war, but now they were all going separate ways.  Sokka and Suki were engaged and heading back to Kyoshi Island.  Toph was going back to her parents and Aang was planning a trip with Appa and Momo.  He was going to search for any signs of remaining airbenders.  She was getting ready to head back to the South Pole to help rebuild her home.  

Zuko and she had spent a lot of time together during these months.  He was very busy, but he always made time to be with her.  They had become very close friends.  They really opened up to one another and shared many things.  She had come to look forward to their times together and was disappointed when she didn’t get to see him.  She found herself searching for him around the palace and was delighted when she did find him.


She had come to realize that her feelings for Zuko ran much deeper than friendship.  She had been denying her true feelings all this time.  She could finally admit that she was deeply in love with him.  She had been so cruel to him before.  She thought back on those times:

"You might have everyone else buying your "transformation", but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends, Right then and there. Permanently!"

"This isn't fair. Everyone else seems to trust me, now. What is it with you?
Oh, everyone trusts you now? I was the first person to trust you remember!? Back in Ba Sing Se, and you turned around and betrayed me, betrayed all of us!
What can I do to make it up to you?
You really want to know? Hmm. Maybe you could reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King! Or, I know, you could bring my mother back!"

“Why, why are you still here with me
Didn't you see what I've done?
In my shame I want to run and hide myself
But it's here I see the truth
I don't deserve you”

Now she recognized what a wonderful man he truly was.  He was determined, loyal, considerate, strong, and confident.  She had come to resent how she treated him prior to the war.  However, she knew that he would never feel the same way about her.  She was a lowly peasant and he was in charge of an entire nation.  He was the Fire Lord and could have any woman he wanted.  They were not meant to be together in the world’s eyes.  She didn’t deserve him.  He needed a woman of royal blood to help run the nation.  A well-bred lady was the one for him.  All she could do was be his friend and watch from the sidelines.  They were not meant for one another no matter how much she wished to be with him.


”But I need you to love me, and I
I won't keep my heart from you this time
And I'll stop this pretending that I can
Somehow deserve what I already have
I need you to love me”


She wanted desperately for him to return her love.  How ironic it is to fall in love with the one person who used to be your enemy, is your opposite in every way, and the one that you can not be with.
A knock came at her door and she called for them to enter.  She turned to see the Fire Lord walk across the room to stand beside her.  Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the man who held her heart.  He always made her heart race and that was why the sooner she left the better.
“You’re leaving?” Zuko asked, his face unreadable.

“Yes.  I really need to be going home and helping my people start their lives over.  Thank you for letting us stay here and all that you have done.”

“You’re welcome.  I wouldn’t want you staying anywhere else.”  His face reddened as he realized how that sounded and quickly corrected it by saying, “You know the whole gang.”

Her heart sunk even more with that statement.  “I know.  Take care Zuko and have a happy life.”  Katara smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes.  She walked past him and made her way to the door.  Her heart shattered into a million pieces and she tried to stop the tears, but a few leaked out.  Just when she reached the door she was stopped by a hand covering her own and pulled back against a hard chest.

Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist and held on tight.  “Please don’t leave me.  I want you to stay with me.”

Katara gasped and more tears fell from her eyes.  “Zuko, I can’t.  I need to go home and help my people.  You are needed here.”

“I know.  Will you promise to come back to the Fire Nation, back to me?”

“I think it would be best if I stayed away.”

Zuko’s arms tightened around her.  “Why?”

“Because I need to distance myself from you before I fall even more in love with you.”  She broke out off his embrace and raced to the door, but before she could reach the handle he turned her around and gathered her against his chest.  She was shocked how close she was to him; she could hear his heart beating rapidly.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear.  “Katara, all these weeks I have been trying to convince myself that I would be better off if you left.  I tried to repress my feelings for you all this time.  When I joined your group I found myself unable to stop thinking about you.  You have been in my mind all this time and the day we fought Azula was when I fully realized I was in love with you.  I would do anything to keep you safe.  I would gladly die for you.”

Katara could not believe what she was hearing.  She never imagined that Zuko had felt this way about her for so long.  She had just realized herself what these feelings for him were.  


”I, I have wasted so much time
Pushing you away from me
I just never saw how you could cherish me
'Cause you're a God who has all things
And still you want me”

”And I need you to love me, and I
I won't keep my heart from you this time
And I'll stop this pretending that I can
Somehow deserve what I already have
I need you to love me”
She gripped his shirt and looked up at him.  “Zuko you deserve someone better.  You need someone from the Fire Nation to help you rule.”

He wiped her tears away and placed his hand on her cheek.  “There is no one better than you.  I need you, only you.  There is no one else for me.  I love you.  You will make a perfect fire lady.  Please Katara, say you will be my wife and never leave my side.”

Her eyes shone and a soft smile graced her lips.  “I love you too, Zuko.  Yes, I will happily become your fire lady and I will never leave you.”

His face broke out into a huge smile as he leaned down to give her their first kiss, which would be one of many more to come.



“Your love makes me forget what I have been
Your love makes me see who I really am
Your love makes me forget what I have been”

”And I need you to love me
I need you to love me
And I'll stop this pretending that I can
Somehow deserve what I already have
I need you to love me”