A/N: This is the end of Betrayed Heart! I hope you all have enjoyed the story, characters, plot, and ending result though it's not really the end. The prologue of the sequel, Fighting Heart, will be posted after I post this!

Thank you everyone for the awesome comments throughout my time here and special thanks to my consistent repliers from the beginning: Watercrab, Zutara1412, PanPan(tho you've been lost for awhile ^^), Toph-NSS, Mya84, and last but not least Miracleboy5200 for being the best beta and helping me with ideas for the story, especially for the Aang parts, I wouldn't have gotten Aang's perspective right without him. :)

Song: "Footprints in the Sand" by Leona Lewis.

Why?: It was hard to find a song JUST right for this chapter, but this one was the closet I came to perfect. It's very sweet and yes, cheesy. XD But I don't care, I think it's sweet and Zutara-fitting, which after all, this story was a Zutara fanfic through and through. Despite the obstacles I threw in their way. XD Please tune into Fighting Heart after this.

Epilogue: Harmony

Hours turned into days, days to weeks. A month into the Fire Nation fall and everyone seemed to be in peace. There were still problems to sort, yes. Feelings to conquer, definitely. And pain to absolve, without a doubt. But there was one thing that seemed to be lacking before and was now present. And that was harmony. Things were not completely in balance, yet they were getting there.

Zuko and Katara hadn't made their relationship public, but they no longer fought to keep it hidden. Zuko went back to his proper duties as Fire Lord and Katara was there, helping anyway she could, training fellow foreign Water-benders, and trying to earn back the trust of the man she loved.

Sokka and Suki continued with their daily lives, only now Suki and Ty Lee had to join the other Kyoshi Warriors back in the Earth Kingdom in one week's time to help lower down local rebellion.

Iroh kept to his tea-shop mostly, visiting different places between the Earth and Fire Nation, but content to relax and let the younger ones handle the politics for awhile. The White Lotus member would always be ready and willing to help in a time of need though.

Mai was unheard of since Ba Song's "mysterious" death.

Toph was still being...Toph. She stayed around, occasionally visiting her parents back home to make them happy, but she refused to stay and they no longer forced her. She had plans to open a future Earth/Metal-bending Academy to pass down her new found Mental-bending wisdom and advanced Earth-bending moves for anyone strong in heart and mind enough to learn.

Aang was spending less time around Katara, and more with Toph. It seemed natural since she was the one that helped him prepare for the eventual break-up, and she made him feel different than anyone else did...she helped him forget about his pain for a little while. And that felt good.

It was obviously painful and awkward to live in the same cabin, so the Avatar discreetly moved out. Not making a big deal about it, yet not speaking a word to Katara about it either when she tried to insist on she being the one to move out. After all, it was Aang who had bought the house in the first place.

But the Avatar wouldn't have had it any other way. Moving into a one-room apartment type place, even closer to the public market of the Fire Nation capital, was the best distraction he could give himself at this moment of heart-breaking pain.

He was in his secret paradise again. In his meditating pose, trying to let go of the negative chi, when he heard the pebbles slightly trembling against footsteps that could only come from one Earth-bender.

"Hello Toph."

Toph grimaced, "No fair Twinkle Toes, I wanted to surprise earth-trap your little butt."

Aang held back the laughter wanting to over-flow from his lips. A second later he surprised himself by even feeling something other than pain...maybe he was beginning to finally move on.

He swiftly stood with a gust of air to gather impulse and faced Toph, holding his glider in one hand, and gently taking hold of Toph's in the other.

"Let's go out to eat. That is...if you want."

She surprised him by not pulling away or saying something witty. She instead gave him a small smile.

"I'd like that."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

It was inevitable. They had to face each other sooner or later.

The Fire Lord knocked on the door twice before the Avatar cautiously opened it.

"Zuko."

He stated simply. Not surprised nor angry as the Fire-bender expected.

"Can I come in?"

Zuko didn't want to seem like he was rushing, but he wanted to get into it as soon as possible. He couldn't stand waiting anymore.

Aang let him through without a word and gestured toward a seat with his hand. Zuko shook his head, taking in the smoothly polished wooden chairs and tables but declining the offer so he wouldn't take up more time.

He looked the Avatar straight in the eye, man-to-man, despite him being obviously taller Aang was starting to catch up. They'd be on the same level physically one day...though they had already been on the same level once, mentally, as friends. All that changed the day they both fell in love with the same girl.

"I came here to apologize Aang. I know I've helped cause you a terrible pain. It was never my intention...I...that is...Katara and me, never wanted to hurt you. Well, I did once, but that was a long time ago and..."

He was rambling. Zuko interrupted himself awkwardly, waiting to see if Aang would say anything. He just stood there. Gray eyes piercing into golden.

"I'm sorry. I don't want us to continue being this way."

Aang finally broke eye contact and easily shrugged. "I already forgave you."

Zuko nodded wisely, still staring at his face. "Yes but...there's still this...stiffness between us. I understand it will take some time, and I'm not asking for changes right away but...could we be friends someday again?"

The Avatar whipped his head back up into Zuko's eye level and for the first time in awhile...saw the good spirit in Zuko he had seen a long time ago, before he was "officially" good, and had been the first to take a chance on it.

He slowly stuck out his open palm. "Yes. Someday...soon."

Zuko proudly smiled as he shook Aang's hand. One hundred years later - linking the ancient bond between Fire Lord and Avatar.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

This is how they found each other.

Katara nuzzled into the position of Zuko's strong limbs holding her from behind as they both leaned as one against a solid oak tree planted near the Fire Lily fields they both grew to love nearly as much as each other.

They had made this their special moment in the day. To meet in this exact place, no matter what had happened during the day. To let go all their stress, fears, and worries as they watched the sunset. It seemed a perfect moment for them. Watch as the sun lowered for the moon to rise and knowing the cycle would repeat itself when in early dawn, Yue would set for Agni's ball of fire to rise again.

It was balance – harmony. The reason the world turned round and when something would disrupt the balance, everyone was affected by it. Some more than others, but still.

Zuko was still trying to find a balance. Between the daily decisions he had to make for his country and his heart.

If only mother were here.

A deep pain hit Zuko's chest as he looked to the skies, wondering if he should finally accept that he may never see his mother again. But that seemed impossible.

As if their minds and feelings were connected, Katara wound a hand on the side of Zuko's neck and caressed it as thoughts about her family seeped through.

After much debate on whether Katara or Sokka would be ambassador, the title finally went to Hakoda. And he spent most of his time in the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, trying to repair his people's lives.

Katara missed her father and Gran-Gran dearly and felt she needed to start doing something to help restore in the aftermath of the war. And her father had a right to know...about what had happened.

Reliving those memories brought a shiver up Katara's spine and Zuko gently took his arms away so she would turn to him.

"Your thinking about that again, aren't you?"

They had talked about this subject before and Katara had no intention of retelling it.

"I was thinking about giving a visit to my father, actually."

Zuko gave her a look, but settled back into his position. "That's good. Are you going to tell him about me?"

Katara carefully smiled. "No."

Zuko widened his eyes in shock and stared down at her until Katara looked up and said,

"I'm gonna tell him about us."

He smiled as she pulled at his hair and gave him a soft kiss.

The sun was ending, on the distant horizon. And their future...was still unknown and full of hurdles and trials to overcome.

But these two battered and betrayed hearts, finally, found peace and love.

~The End – For now~