Chapter 1:

"Sokka please!" Katara shouted, "You can't make me stay!"

The young waterbender marched through the streets of the village with her brother trailing behind her. The Sothern Water Tribe with the help of their northern sister tribe was able to turn the once small and fruitless village into a grand city that rivaled even the beauty of the north. The last four years since the war had been prosperous for the south and other places through the world that had also been devastated by the hundred year war. In a way, many found themselves forgetting the last hundred years. Things had turned out quite well. But not for everyone.

After winning the war and the honor-bounded Zuko took his place as Fire Lord, the gaang stayed around for nearly a year helping him restore order to the Fire Nation before helping the other corners of the world. During this time, Sokka and Suki broke up. Finding that the adrenaline of war and their possible deaths fueled most their feelings towards each other. The break up happened to install a division between the group being that Suki was caught in bed with a palace guard. While Aang (of course) and (surprisingly) Toph felt it was a forgivable offense, Katara (siding with her brother) and Zuko (Strongly against infidelity) saw it differently. If this wasn't enough, Mai (out of spite) called Zuko out on his feelings towards a particular member of the group.

Within months, the group disbanded, taking refuge from each other. Toph to her family's estate in the Earth Kingdom to take over the family's welfare. Katara and Sokka back to the South Pole to help the effort of reformation. Aang to the air temples before meeting up with the Water Tribe siblings in the south. Suki returned to Kyoshi Island with the most unlikely of recruits, Mai. And of course, leaving Zuko to continue his pursuit of a peaceful nation alone.

"Katara! Think about what you are doing?!" Sokka yelled after his younger sister. His eyes were full of dread and concern for her. The last couple of months had been hard on them both. Especially Katara. Aang and their father had both been pressuring her to marry. Sokka watched as his sister kept hitting Aang with the same line 'I'm not ready' and their father with 'Arranged marriages are not Southern Traditions'. She was a stubborn one as always. There was very little anyone could do to change her mind. She didn't give in easily but as of late, it seemed too much for her.

Enduring their father's and Aang's advances no more, Katara made a decision. And a not so good one.

Stopping dead in her tracks, Katara swung around to face her brother and meet him with an angry glare. "Think?! You think I haven't been doing so all this time?! I have been thinking since Aang first proposed two years ago, since dad first told me of the northern suitors, since I realized that there is so much I still haven't done yet!"

Her blue orbs were like waves crashing violently against bergs of floating ice. Simply staring directly into them was enough to drown you beneath their depths. However; Sokka was used to this by now. He had become a pro a surviving the tsunami that was Katara. She could knock him around and try to trap him under her chaotic waters but he always broke the surface.

"And going to the Fire Nation with HIM there is something you haven't yet done?" Sokka crossed his arms over his chest and lifted a single eyebrow.

"Well HE is the one that helped you save Suki and dad! Not to mention train to Aang and aid in taking down the Fire Nation! Besides, right now he's the only person that will understand what I'm going through." He voice softened at the end. "I'm sure after Mai left the council and Fire Sages have been pressuring him to name a Fire Lady."

"KATARA! That creep has been secretly peeping on you since the beginning! Did you not hear what Mai said?!" Her brother was just about to lose his head. "I bet he had a diary and everything, probably even sketches of you guys together. Sick bastard!" The last part he whispered under his breath.

"Sokka stop it!" She yelled again. "It doesn't matter what feelings he has, he never once showed them, Zuko is a man of honor."

"Oh spirits! Not that honor bull again." Rolling his eyes annoyingly.

Katara stared long and hard at her brother, how could he not understand? She was the only female waterbender in the south, probably the most skilled, and considered a princess in the eyes of the water tribe. There would be men from all over wanting to claim her now that she had ended things with Aang and their father would only increase the effort of finding her a husband. Staying in the south would only suffocate her more than she already was. Couldn't Sokka see all of this was draining her, sucking the life out of her, robbing her of what little joy she has maintained over the years?

So what if Zuko had feelings for her. Hell, no one would have known if Mai hadn't gone on a rampage all those years ago. It was quite obvious he didn't have intentions of sharing his feelings by the shame and humiliation written on his face. Katara hadn't seen him any differently from the Zuko that helped her find her mother's murderer, he was still her friend, though the same couldn't be said for everyone else in the group. Telling from the looks everyone gave him, especially Aang and her brother, it was plain to see their opinions of him had gone sour.

"Look, Katara." Sokka walked up to his sister and grabbed her hand in his, "I know he is better person now but do you really think it's wise for you to visit him after just recently breaking off from Aang? A Bachelor Fire Lord and a newly single Water Tribe princess spending quality time doesn't sound like a good idea."

A small smile crept on her features, "Perhaps so but then again, isn't it father's wish that I marry. Preferably to make an alliance." With a wink at her wide eyed brother, the waterbender turned and continued down to the docks.