Path Ahead

Engagements

The post-coronation revels did not stretch all that late into the evening, but most of the Avatar's companions still slept late the following morning. The days leading up to Zuko claiming the title of Firelord had been busy and stressful for everyone, and few had slept well. With the formalities at last behind them, they finally felt that they could relax, and their bodies caught up on some much-needed rest.

However, when Katara had finally rolled out of bed, washed up, and dressed in her Water Tribe clothing again, she found that Aang was already up. He sat in the palace garden, alternately playing with Momo and communing with Appa. Katara sat beside him and gave him a quick kiss.

"You're up early," she remarked.

"Habit, I guess," he shrugged. "I've always been kind of a morning person."

"So, what are we going to do today?" asked Katara.

"I'm not really sure. It's funny, isn't it? We've been trying to get to this day for so long, but what happens after that?"

"A lot of boring negotiations, as far as I can tell."

"Yeah." Aang paused. "In a few days, I'll need to go back to Ba Sing Se. There are still some things I left unfinished there."

"It would be nice to see if the king came back," Katara mused.

"Yes," Aang agreed. He looked straight ahead. "I was thinking that might be the last trip for our little group."

"Why is that?"

"Toph might want to go home, and Sokka and Hakoda are bound to head back to the South Pole soon."

"The rest of the warriors, too," added Katara. "They have been away from home a long time."

"They have. Katara, when they go, I think you should go home, too."

"What?" Katara was taken aback. "You're sending me away already?" She felt a little hurt to be dismissed like this.

"Don't put it like that!" he said with a pained expression. He cupped her cheek with his hand. "Katara, I want nothing more than to be with you always, forever. That can't really happen until after we're married, though, and we both have things to do before then."

"I know what you have to do, but me?"

Aang smiled faintly, looking straight into her eyes.

"For one thing, your grandmother's about to get married," he reminded her. "You should be there for that."

Katara opened her mouth, then closed it again. In all of the tumult of the last week or so, she'd completely forgotten Master Pakku's announcement.

"You're right," she agreed reluctantly. "I should be there for her."

"When you left, you didn't really plan on leaving forever."

"Somewhere deep inside, I think I knew," Katara interrupted him. She was stubbornly fighting this, even though she knew how it would end.

"Maybe," he acknowledged. "Still, you didn't really get to say goodbye to everybody. You might have some things there that still mean something to you. It would be a good time to go through all of that."