"I'm sorry, Katara, but with all that's currently going on in Republic City, I can't afford any more vacation time," Sokka says to Katara over their evening tea. It's been a week since Aang's flight from the palace, and Sokka and Suki are stuck without Appa to transport them back home. "If I want to make it back before my upcoming council meeting, I'm going to have to hop on a boat tomorrow. Appa would be a lot quicker, but I can't just wait to see if Aang will show up in time."

Katara sighs in frustration. "I understand. I'm just so upset with his whole thing." It's bad enough that Sokka has to cut his trip short, even worse that it's all her fault. No one has any idea where Aang was. When he hadn't showed up to breakfast last week they had all falsely assumed he was staying holed up in his guest chambers, not thinking that he would have taken Appa and flown off in an existential crisis. If she could only talk to him, then they could works things out, and she could even give him the apology he deserves.

"And I get that. I want to be here for him when he gets back, even if just to support you, but I don't have much of a choice here."

"Sokka, I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

"Well, I know that, but that doesn't mean I can't try. It's what older brothers are supposed to do." Sokka smiles as he sets down his cup and stands. "And don't give me any bullshit about that being a sexist societal standard," to which Katara catches that exact bullshit in her throat and scoffs instead. "I've got to go pack my bags. Zuko's set up a trip for us early in the morning. Like, before sunrise early. Why did he think I would be okay with that?"

"Because he's Fire Lord and can do whatever he wants," Katara teases. They say their goodnights and go to sleep, only to awake before the sky lightens to say their goodbyes once more. Katara knows his means she will have to face Aang alone with the one man she assumes he won't want to see, and despite her attitude the night before she really would have appreciated Sokka being there for moral support. Toph's still here, she thinks, but then again, she's never been known to have a soft, sympathetic side. Besides, she's been spending most of her time at the Hou Estate, much to Katara's delight at the prospect of Toph being happy.

She and Zuko escort Sokka and Suki to the docks, and when they return to the palace they find comfort within another, making love for the first time in over a week. As Katara shudders under Zuko's touch both inside and outside, she lets loose the tears she's been withholding from herself, and part of the burden on her heart settles. It doesn't completely resolve, but she somehow feels lighter, especially with Zuko kissing away the tears from her cheeks and whispering words of encouragement. They stay in the bed for hours afterward, staring at the ceiling at they trace shapes on the other's skin. Katara sneaks in tracing "I love you" on Zuko's sternal scar, which she doesn't think he notices until she hears him chuckle and whisper "I love you, too."

Eventually, Zuko has to leave and catch up on his Lordly duties for the day. He doesn't wish to leave Katara alone, but she assures him that she can handle being without company for a few measly hours. She's not a porcelain doll, after all. Despite this reassurance, Zuko still orders a palace worker to check in on Katara every so often, which is nice when she's hungry and needs a meal but otherwise a bit of an annoyance. She grows sick of the required company and retreats from the royal chambers, going on a solo adventure throughout the palace.

She's gone on many of these escapades and has become very familiar with the ins and outs of the layout. Her favorite spot by far is an isolated rooftop garden in the far northern wing. The stone columns of this garden contain specks of an orange crystal that create a blazen display of fiery colors when the sun hits them just right, and the potted plants growing atop the surrounding half-wall almost shimmer in response.

She leans against the half-wall and takes in the view of the city as the tip of the old volcano's walls begin to pierce the edge of the sun. It's not yet sunset, but within the walls of the city it may as well be.

Her hair rustles as a swift breeze hits her from behind, and an odd feeling runs over her. She turns around and is met with the face of her once-fiance perched upon the wall across from her. "Aang," she says barely above a whisper, "we've been so worried."

"Why?" He asks flatly, "I only did what you did. I ran away without telling anyone, and came back whenever I decided to." The bitterness in his voice is glaringly obvious.

"I get it, Aang, and I'm not mad," Katara starts, prepared to start her long thought-out apology and explanation, only for Aang to step down and slowly stride toward her. It's in this moment she realizes how tall he's grown.

"Really? You're not mad?" Aang asks in a mocking tone, "Are you really that apathetic toward me that you're not even upset that I ran away without telling anyone where I was going?"

"I'm not apathetic at all, I've been worried sick!"

"But have you? While in the arms of your fiance, have you seriously been fretting about my whereabouts?"

The glare on his face begins to intimidate her, a feeling she never thought she would experience. "What's going on with you? You're not acting yourself."

"Everything's changed, Katara," he says with discomforting laugh as he extends his arms outward, almost as if he were gesturing to the world around him. "Everything is completely different. I've tried so hard to work my way through this without lashing out or hurting anyone, because even though you don't love me, I still love you. But damn it, Katara, I'm just so confused! We were happy, or at least I thought we were. I've been in love with you ever since you rescued me from that iceberg. You're the only one I can ever imagine myself with, and now I have to move on like it's nothing, like we were never even in love? How can you expect me to do that?"

"I'm not asking you to do that-"

"Yes, you are! I can't just move on from true love like that."

"Then what can I do to help?" Katara asks seriously, "Please, tell me. I don't want to lose you, Aang."

"What? You don't want to lose me?"

"That's right. You're my oldest friend. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Are you asking me to stay, despite all that we're going through right now? Do you even realize how selfish you are, asking that of me?"

"Spirits, Aang, what do you want from me?" Katara shouts, "I say I'm worried, you tell me I'm lying. I say I want you in my life, you call me selfish. So what am I supposed to say to you? Just because I'm with Zuko now-"

"I don't even want to hear that name," Aang interrupts with a shake of his head.

"Well get over it!" She snaps back, "This is what I've chosen. You think I don't love you anymore? You're wrong, you're so incredibly wrong. I will always love you, Aang, and I will never stop being there for you. Us no longer being romantically involved does not mean the end of our relationship. Why can't you understand that? Things won't change unless you start acting differently. So go ahead, mourn the end of our engagement and throw your little tantrum. If you decide you don't want me in your life, fine, I won't stop you, but just know that that decision is on you, not me."

Katara attempts to storm past him, only to have her arm caught in his grip. "We're not done here," Aang says, but she yanks her arm away.

"Oh yes we are. You don't get to talk to me like that and expect me to happily comply. You know me better than that. And I thought I knew you better as well."

Aang's face turns to one of regret before she turns away once again to start down the spiral stairs. All of the sadness she once held in her heart has been turned to stone. She doesn't even remotely slow her pace as she hears Aang calling out behind her, his footsteps getting louder.

"Katara, wait, please," He begs as he finally catches up to her, "I'm sorry, really I am. I-I don't know what I was thinking, acting like that-"

"Yeah, I don't know either!" She snaps as she reaches the bottom of the stairs and turns to meet his eyes. "I'm completely ready to talk to you about everything and answer all of your questions, but not if you're going to have that attitude."

"So- you're not mad?" Aang asks.

"Well, yes, I'm mad," Katara starts with a huff and cross of her arms. She looks at Aang and sees the boy she once knew, long before the trials of war turned him hard and volatile. She sees the eyes of the boy that swore to never firebend, all because he accidentally hurt her. The first time she had to talk him down from the Avatar state after discovering the Air Temple ruins… she almost couldn't bear the heartbreak. Underneath his grown physique she recognizes all of the trauma he's endured that's led him to where he is today, but also the love and dedication that has survived in his heart. If she thinks about it, she's been the only constant in his life this century. Of course, this she already knew. "But… I understand that I've put you through a lot. I'll give you this pass, but only if you promise we can speak calmly. I'll tell you all you'd like to know."

And so they re-climb the stairs and talk. She tells him everything- from the first confrontation to the last, along with all the letters and moments exchanged in between. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but she refuses to leave out any details that could come back later to haunt her. By the end of the, Aang's head is left spinning.

"What are you feeling?" She asks.

"Confused," Aang murmurs, "But not about what happened. You made everything… very clear. There's just so much to take in. And you know what the weird thing is?" He asks as he finally meets her eyes again, "Deep inside I still feel this need to confide in you. I feel so much betrayal, and yet despite all that you're the one I want to help me piece it all together."

Katara just looks at him and witnesses the thoughts processing on his face; he was always very expressive, which meant he could never get away with a lie. "I'm sorry I can't help you more."

"No, don't," He says, "You've kind of done all you can. Now… I think it's up to me." He stands himself up on the half-wall and pops open his staff. Before he glinds away, he glances back down at Katara and smiles. "Thank you, Katara. And don't worry, I'll come back. I promise."

He leaps from the ledge and glides away, and Katara watches his silhouette for as long as he's visible in the dark cityscape, wondering where they go from here.