"Katara, you can't be serious!" Aang shouted at her as he air bent himself down the hallway behind her. He couldn't believe she was actually going to leave Republic City. Going to leave him!

Katara turned abruptly causing Aang to do a sudden back flip and land on his feet gracefully. "Aang, I love Republic City and I love you." She said grabbing him by the face and forcing his gray eyes to meet her bright blue eyes. He was now almost a foot taller than her and she had to manhandle him to get his attention. Aang's face had matured in the seven years since Sozin's comet had passed by. His round and childlike face had become angular with high cheek bones, a defined jaw line outline with a trimmed beard, and piercing gray eyes. The childlike glimmer had never faded from his gray eyes even after many hard years rebuilding the world.

Her face was serious, yet soft. Katara had also matured over the years and now her face contained soft womanly features. Her eyes were large and the most attention grabbing feature. "We've had multiple discussions about how we can't give each other what we need to be happy." Katara spoke quietly.

Aang's face dropped. "I thought we could keep working on this."

"You've always been very optimistic Aang. I've always appreciated you for it." She still had both hands on either side of his face. The air had stilled in the brightly lit hallway they stood in. "I can't ask you to compromise your values for me and you can't ask me to live a life that won't make me happy."

Aang just looked at her with a depleted expression on his handsome face. She wanted badly to lean and his kiss his face, to get rid of that sad expression. However, Aang had proposed to her over 6 months ago (she declined) and they had been separated ever since. She had tried to keep their relationship as friendly as possible because they both loved each other and wished to remain in each other's lives. It had been a painful process, but they were family to each other at this point.

Aang placed his hand over hers. "I understand Katara. We just haven't been apart very long in almost five years."

Katara smiled. "You and Appa can visit me in the Fire Nation." She said as she dropped his grip on her face. "I've been out of the game for years. It's time to get back to rebuilding the nations. I can get back to teaching water bending afterward."

Aang nodded. He more than understood her desire to better the world. It was one of the many reasons he loved her so much. She had been through so much and yet she still managed to radiate positivity and compassion into the world.

Katara returned to her chambers and Aang excused himself for a meeting with city leaders. She began packing her trunk, but pulled out the letter she had received earlier today.

Katara,

Zuko, here. Well Fire Lord Zuko, here. I hope your life post war has found immense successes. The Fire Nation is rebuilding and attempting to find peace agreements with all nations. It has not been an easy road for us. The Northern Water Tribe has not yet been willing to reach a peace agreement. I need a Water Tribe Ambassador and the only person I could consider is you, Katara. We need you as soon as you can make it. If you cannot, please write back to me.

Cordially,

Fire Lord Zuko

Katara laughed to herself. The steely faced Fire Lord would always be that hot headed sixteen year old boy that attempted to join team Avatar with the opening "Zuko, here". She missed Zuko dearly and found it the perfect time to head to the Fire Nation to help out. They had become close friends a few years ago when she briefly lived in the Fire Nation to aid in other peace agreements. They bonded over their love for bending and over the losses of their mothers in the war. She had learned a new side to Zuko, a softer side where his anger was replaced with his passions. He was nonetheless an intense man, but Zuko had been an important piece of the puzzle for her healing process.

It would be nice to see an old friend and get back to the trenches. Katara had been on a couple year hiatus after spending years rebuilding the Southern Water Tribe and then helping with peace negotiations in the Fire Nation. Not to mention Aang needed more space away from her to heal completely. She had denied his proposal and it had crushed him. However, she couldn't live the life he had envisioned. Katara was a powerful bender, which would drastically decrease the likelihood of their children being air benders. That was even if she had agreed to be his airbender breeding machine.

She finished packing her trunk and headed off to bed. She couldn't shake the butterflies in her stomach. Had he married Mai? What would Zuko look like after all these years? Would they still be just as good of friends?

Most of her anxiety came from the way her and Zuko had left it years ago. They had a large fight over something absolutely stupid, now that she could look back with a clear mind. However, it wasn't the fight that was the reason they left things badly. The fight ended when Zuko kissed her. She had kissed him back and felt something she had never felt with Aang. It was the beginning of the end of her and Aang's relationship.

She wiped her hands across her face as she lay in bed. Katara still felt incredibly guilty for kissing Zuko that night and had not talked to him since. She could still remember the shocked look in Zuko's eyes when she pulled away and ran out of his room. Would he still be upset with her over that night?

Katara was torn. Was her guilt for never telling Aang or for running out of Zuko's room that night? She sighed and rolled over. Tomorrow she would leave for the Fire Nation.