1. How Did I Fall in Love with You?

_What can I do, to make you mine  
Falling so hard so fast this time  
What did I say, what did you do?  
How did I fall in love with you?_

The Backstreet Boys; How Did I Fall in Love with You

**x**

_It wasn't like I hadn't ever thought about it, because I had. Honestly, it had occupied my mind for a few weeks prior, and there had been a few times I couldn't help but try to picture my 'true love'. It wasn't a strange event to have a dream about someone coming to me and whispering how they'd always love me and hoped I'd always be theirs, and it was even less unusual to spend hours worrying about how I looked, and if I ever actually passed by my true love in the stores, if I would wreck my entire life and stand in the way of Fate by choosing dubbing that single, precious moment a 'Bad Hair Day.' I had meticulously looked through the school year book, crossing out certain boys and circling others in pink heart, noting carefully which ones were jerks and which ones nice._

_Looking back, I spent about two thirds of my free time that year thinking about things that shouldn't really matter until a lot later._

_Even when I cooled down, I was still constantly on the look out for my true love._

_That's maybe why I took up with Jet so soon, but even with a boyfriend, I was still careful to notice every other guy in my life._

_I just never expected that he'd been right in front of me all along._

_**x**_

The lack of people in small Wal-Mart store did not sway Katara's determination the least bit as she unfurled the 'Potential Present' list in her hand, pausing only once to gaze longingly at a blue turtle neck sweater before scolding herself and hurrying by – she had a mission. Glancing up as she passed the scented candles, Katara sighed inwardly and crossed '_Lavender Candles_' from her list.

"What should I get him?" she muttered to herself, crossing her eyes and sticking a pencil behind her ear. Leaning back against the wall, she unfolded her list once more and ran her eyes over the words written on it: _Cook Book, Clothes, Harry Potter, Nickleback CD, New Guitar Book, Concert Tickets, New Skateboard…_ It seemed to go on and on, even carrying on to the back of the paper. Sighing inwardly and drawing a huge 'X' over the last few options (at that point she'd been getting desperate; the words 'new tie' popped out at Katara and she giggled reluctantly).

Scratching her head and brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, she mused, _I'm almost seventeen. Shouldn't I buy the gift _sooner_ than a half an hour before the party? _Katara snorted – she knew exactly what he would say – _But it's our oldest tradition!  
Our_. That word still got to her sometimes. She knew Aang meant nothing when he used words like that – _we_, _us_, _Katara and I_…. It made her uneasy listening to him sometimes, like he knew something about their friendship that Katara didn't.

Shrugging off the feeling-that-shouldn't-even-be-there, Katara began walking briskly once more, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of a display featuring a new Carrie Underwood CD she'd been dying to get her hands on. Tearing her gaze away and forcing herself to stare straight ahead (_Focus, Katara, focus_) she came to a sudden halt.

Running forward and grinning to herself, she picked up the book and grinned. _It's prefect for him!_ Peering down at '_The Beginners Guide to Song Writing_', she leafed through a few pages to see a detailed explanation of how to pick out tunes on your guitar and the right chords to choose. Hugging the book to her chest, Katara smiled to herself as she began to head to the check-out line. How many times had Aang complained that he had a song stuck in his head and couldn't pick it out on the guitar? How many times? _A thousand, that's how many_, she answered herself silently.

Smiling politely and sliding the book onto the check out band, Katara glanced self-consciously at her watch. It was 6:43, so she still had 17 minutes to get back home…. And then there was the party. It would be a small one, to be sure – Toph, Sokka, Aang, of course, Hakoda, Kana, Suki, Meng (Katara scowled deeply just at the mere _thought_ of Aang's girlfriend), herself…._and Jet._ Biting her lip as she reached for the book and hurried towards the door, Katara wondered, _Do I have any right to dislike Meng when I know how much Aang hates Jet?_

A warm breeze came through just as she stepped out the automatic doors, smelling of the ocean and fresh rain. Leaning back her head and letting out her hair blow out behind her head as she walked, Katara was unpleasantly jolted back to her thoughts of moments before. She had known for a while that Aang had shared Sokka's dislike and mistrustfulness of Jet, but it had been only recently she'd caught him glaring at her boyfriend like he was the spawn of the devil.

"Ow!" Katara rubbed her head, glaring at the branch that had been her attacker. She had always cut through the back lot, and she had a nasty habit of forgetting to duck one rather annoying tree – the only one on the grassy path, in fact. _I should just cut it down one day,_ Katara thought, shoving the branch out of the way and scowling deeply.

Tromping through the knee high grass with the book wrapped in her sweatshirt, the sunlight filtered through the just-clearing clouds to fall in patches on the moorland. The sun peaked through the clouds like the lighthouse beacon, casting a long shadow to Katara's right and lightening up the mini-prairie. She took in a sharp intake of breath at the sheer beauty of right here, right now. Katara couldn't help wondering what Aang would say yet again, and immediately scolded herself: _Jet! You are in love with Jet! Stop thinking about your best friend!_

Shaking her head and beginning to hurry to the other side, Katara began to speculate if her thoughts were being purposely difficult. _Maybe I've been bad, and I'm punishing myself by thinking about my oldest friend in the wrong way. I really shouldn't do that; why am I doing that, me? Me, I am very cruel to do that to myself._

Cringing at how ridiculous that last sentiment sounded, Katara stopped in her tracks. She had always taken a path that led into the forest then came out just by her house; it was only about half a mile in length and an easy walk – even for someone like her. But in front of her was silver, gleaming fence, sturdy and strong and possibly unbeatable, even for someone who had spent the first half of their childhood climbing trees.

That wasn't what ticked Katara off. What _really_ made her mad was that it hadn't been here before.

"Who the heck puts a metal fence in the middle of a field between two hundred acres of forest and the local Wal-Mart?!?!" Katara burst out, frustrated as she glowered at the unnecessary obstacle before her. "You'd have to be a complete and total _idiot_!" she yelled, giving the wall of metal a kick with her foot. "I have a party for my _best friend_ to be at! Jeez, talk about _annoying_! If the person who put this here would have come out _right now_, I would tell –"

"What, exactly, would you tell me, hm?" the cold and cruel voice seemed to come out of nowhere. Katara spun around, nearly dropping Aang's present, only to see a raven-haired girl that looked to be about fifteen leering at her, golden eyes glittering with cruel anticipation.

"Who are _you_?" she asked rudely, glaring straight into this newcomer's glowing amber eyes.

"I," she began disdainfully, "am Azula Roku, and my father has bought this ridiculous little….ah…._woodland_."

Katara squinted her eyes at Azula. "And what does he mean to do with it?"

"Why build a shopping mall, of course," Azula replied, grinning unpleasantly.

"But – but –" Katara sputtered. "There are animals living in there! And that forest is irreplaceable – we have no other place like it! Do you know how far away the nearest national park is from here?!?!"

Azula smiled thinly. "No, but I'm sure you do."  
Katara stared at her angrily for a moment before beginning, "Look, I always walk through these woods, and I need to get somewhere. So, if you could –"

"You can walk through," the icy girl interrupted. "This time." Walking up to the gate, Azula removed a key from her pocket and, inserting it into the lock, commented, "You must really love this forest. So…._sentimental_. Such a _tragedy_ it will be torn down, hm?"

Grinding her teeth, Katara marched past Azula silently, swerving onto the beaten path. It was obvious she could do nothing to stop this; honestly, Katara believed it impossible.

The book in her hand and the party that was starting in less than five minutes seemed very, very far away. Glancing around at the tall, leafy trees (autumn had just come and Katara noticed a few with colors of gold and orange), she couldn't stop the flood of memories that came rushing at her. So many different images that she could barely contain them – apple picking in the forgotten orchard she'd discovered at age six; singing as she walked because she was too scared to do it anywhere else; and then the time she and Aang had discovered a cave together…

_Wow,_ Katara forced the memory to a premature end. _That is…that is going too far._ She did not want to remember that cave, nor did she ever. Katara did not need to hear the tiny voice inside her once more tell what could have been or what should have.

_That chapter in our lives is over,_ Katara reminded herself just as her house and the houses surrounding it in came into view. _Leave it where it belongs – buried._

Ducking under the window and softly slipping down the back steps, Katara shifted around in her pocket for the basement key. Sliding it into the lock, she gently padded into the carpeted room, muttering to herself, "Now where did I put the wrapping paper?" Yanking open the closet door, Katara began digging around, finally stepping out triumphantly with a roll of blue and white paper in her hands.

She ascended the steps and drifted into the kitchen, pausing to peck Jet on the lips. "Hi, Aang," Katara greeted, placing her gift on the table and pulling up a chair next to his place at the table.

"You're late," Sokka accused, one arm around Toph.

"Aren't I always?" Katara sighed in mock sadness.

"Yes, yes you are," her brother replied indignantly.

"Ah, cool it, Snoozles," his girlfriend said airily. "Let her be. It's tradition."

"Yeah, Katara and Aang have been _friends_ for a long time – cut her some slack." Katara had a feeling that Jet's emphasis on 'friends had been for her and her alone, and avoided her boyfriend's cool gaze.

She tried even harder not to look at him when Aang put his arm around her – a friendly gesture, Katara insisted to herself, but she could not ignore that way the, for a fraction of a second, his heart had beat the tiniest bit faster….

Katara tried hardest of all to pretend it was no big deal when she returned the hug, and was only able to hope that she would be able top control her feelings during the party that lay in front of her.

Between Jet's searching gaze, the stares exchanged between Toph and a jealous Suki, the look on Meng's face as she stared at Katara distastefully, and the tightening of Aang's arm around her, the sixteen year old could already tell that it was going to be a very, very long night.

* * *

Whoa, that took forever to write...I am very worried that I have put in far too many plot lines, what with the forest, Aang vs. Jet, and the former's song writing career. What did you think? This is not over; there will be a sequel. 

Tell me if you think I should continue.


	2. Could it Be

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Avatar, you could bet that the first episode of season three would have been a lot better then it was, getting rid of everything except the Maiko kiss, Ozai and Zuko's reunion, Hakoda and Katara's talk, and Azula's awesome-ness._

* * *

_

_Could it be you & I  
Never imagined  
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you  
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew  
Could it be that it's true  
It's you and it's you_

Christy Carlson Romano, _Could it Be_

**x**

"I'll get the cake," Kana voiced awkwardly after a long silence had passed. Rising from her chair, the old woman hobbled out of the dining room into the kitchen, calling back to the group, "Sokka! Did make the cake in the shape of a _buffalo_?"  
"It's a sky bison, Gran-Gran!" Katara's brother yelled back, blushing furiously in the face of his girlfriend's amused gaze. "It's from one of those old TV shows Aang and I used to watch."  
"Oh, yeah," Katara remembered, glancing up at a smiling Aang, his arm now resting at his own side. "The one where people could control the elements?"

"That's why he got his arrow hat, isn't that right, _Aangy_?" Meng said pointedly, glaring at Katara.

"Yeah, it is," he grinned. "Katara made it for me, actually," Aang added, seemingly oblivious to the sour look on Meng's face and the uncomfortable expression on Katara's.

"Katara and I just went to an amusement park we found last week," Jet's broke through the silence, and although his gaze showed anger and suspicion, his expression softened when he turned to look at Katara.

"Yeah, I was terrified on the roller coasters," she agreed, meeting the brown-haired boy's eyes and trying to make her expression unreadable. Surely Jet could not know that the pinkness of her cheeks was not due to his smile (the one that used to give her shivers) or the fast beating of her heart a victim of being near him? _Look away again, look away again_, Katara prayed desperately, _I'll get this under control, but for know you just need to _look away_…_

She breathed out a barely audible sigh of relief as her boyfriend rose from the table, saying, "I'll go see what's taking so long."

"He's so helpful," Suki commented, abandoning her staring match with Toph for a moment to turn her soft grey eyes on Katara. "You're lucky to be his girlfriend."

Swallowing her doubts and nodding, she gathered up the courage to reply, "But Sokka doesn't trust him because – because –" Katara faltered, and, turning to her brother, questioned, "Why don't you trust Jet?"

She stared at her brother, repulsing a shiver – _Why don't you trust Jet?_ Such a simple question, but so complicated, too – for a fraction of the silence that occupied the kitchen, Katara wondered if Sokka would bother to answer at all.

"I…I don't know." Her eyes searched out his, and Katara felt an unease in the pit of her stomach as Sokka's gaze met hers – her brother knew something, something that he wasn't telling.

"We've got the cake!" Katara's head swiveled to see Jet proudly hoisting the cake above his head, followed closely by Kana as she scolded – "Jet, be careful with that!"

"Aw, come one, you know I wouldn't drop it," he grinned, plopping the cake on the table and sitting down carefully in his chair.

"Whoa, chocolate!" Aang cried, staring hungrily at the white-frosted dessert before him.

"How can you tell?" Sokka glanced up at his old friend, a bemused expression on his face. "It's vanilla icing, and I made sure to put it everywhere."

"He has chocolate sense," Toph teased. "If you could write as well as you could smell, you'd have a best seller already."

Smiling slightly, Aang replied, "Toph, I know _you_ are a natural born writer, but however many times you try, I am _not_ going to become your editor."

"Ah, too bad," she smiled wryly at him, "Because Sokka here already bet you'd say yes. Hand it over, Snoozles."

Rolling his eyes, the teen began digging around in his pocket, finally slamming a wad of cash on the table. "Are you happy now?"

Aang whistled, eyes wide. "Wow, you bet twenty bucks that I'd become Toph's editor? That's kinda dumb, even for you, Sokka."

"Well, there were various….other things involved," Sokka exchanged a glance with his girlfriend, shifting uncomfortably.

"Just cut the cake," Toph snorted, rising up from her seat and plopping down in Sokka's lap.

"Toph!" he sputtered, face reddening by the second. "What are you doing?"

"Cool it, Snoozles," Toph told him. "Twinkle Toes has to open Sugar Queen's present."

"I wonder what it is?" Aang mused, eyes twinkling as he ran his hands over the wrapping paper, fingers exploring every crevice and wrinkle. "Feels like some sort of book…" Digging his nails under the paper, Aang ripped off the front and gasped. "Katara, this is perfect! Where'd you find it?"  
"Wal-Mart," she smiled up at him, stomach jolting in a way that was not unpleasant as their eyes met. _Stop it, stop it, stop it, he has a girlfriend and you have Jet…_

"That reminds me, I was going to play a song." He reached under the table and pulled out a wooden and battered guitar. "It's not mine, though. I hear it on the radio."

Leaning forward, Aang's hands traveled across the strings, and the chords hovered in the air for a moment before he began strumming once more. His voice was low and powerful as he started to sing, and Katara could not help realizing he was as good as any professional.

_If you could only see the way she loves me  
Then maybe you would understand  
Why I feel this way about our love  
And what I must do  
If you could only see how blue her eyes can be when she says  
When she says she loves me_

A hush fell over the room as the occupants realized something: Aang was actually _good_. His head nodded to the beat as his hands flew across the guitar, plucking and hitting different strings as the music echoed through the kitchen.

_Well you got your reasons  
And you got your lies  
And you got your manipulations  
They cut me down to size_

Katara glanced over at Jet to see a strange look on his face, a cross between shock and fury, and she wondered if her boyfriend actually thought the song was about _him_. _But is it?_

_Sayin' you love but you don't  
You give your love but you won't_

Now even Toph's eyes were glued to Aang as his voice rose in strength and volume, and her mouth formed the words: _He's good.  
_

_If you could only see the way she loves me  
Then maybe you would understand  
Why I feel this way about our love  
And what I must do  
If you could only see how blue her eyes can be when she says  
When she says she loves me_

The world went in slow motion as Aang's eyes darted to Katara, a seriousness there that had not been only a moment before. She was too caught up in the moment to stop herself from thinking _He's trying to tell me something. Something about him…and Jet._

_Seems the road less traveled  
Show's happiness unraveled  
And you got to take a little dirt  
To keep what you love  
That's what you gotta do_

_Sayin' you love but you don't  
You give your love but you won't  
You're stretching out your arms to something that's just not there  
sayin' you love where you stand  
Give you heart when you can_

The tension in the room was tauter then ever; everyone seemed to notice the looks on Jet's, Aang's, and Katara's faces all at once.

_Sayin' you love but you don't  
You give your love but you won't  
You're stretching out your arms to something that's just not there  
sayin' you love where you stand  
Give you heart when you can_

_If you could only see the way she loves me  
Then maybe you would understand  
Why I feel this way about our love  
And what I must do  
If you could only see how blue her eyes can be when she says  
When she says she loves me_

_Sayin' you love but you don't  
You give your love but you won't  
Sayin' you love where you stand  
Give your heart when you can_

_If you could only see the way she loves me  
Then maybe you __would understand  
Why I feel this way about our love  
And what I must do  
If you could only see how blue her eyes can be when she says  
When she says she loves me_

There was a sharp intake of breath from Katara as the last words drifted out across the room, accented by the chords of the song. The last note lingered long after Aang had stopped singing, and all was silent until the chord came to an end.

"Wow, Aang," Hakoda broke the quiet as he exchanged an unreadable glance with Kana, "that was incredible. I've never heard that song before, but I'm sure…it's very good, that's all."

"That was great," Meng agreed, gazing at her boyfriend in adoration. "I _loved_ it, Aangy."

Jet coughed, and said, "Yes, we _all_ enjoyed your little show, I'm sure. But may I ask _why_, exactly, you chose that song?" Jet's brown eyes burned into Katara's as he met her confused and nervous gaze, and the dark-skinned girl repressed a shudder – where would all of this lead?

"Oh, I just thought it was a good dong ," the newly fifteen year old replied airily, placing his guitar behind his chair. "But we should probably get to the cake now."

"Yes, yes we should," Kana added hurriedly, passing out paper plates and making a square cut into the cake. "Lots of icing, Aang?"

"As always," he replied, reaching forward for the cake and sliding it in front of him.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," Sokka began singing spontaneously, evoking an eye roll from Toph. "Happy birthday dear A-a-aang….happy birthday to you!" he finished quickly as Hakoda placed a plate in front of him.

"Um…how is Sokka going to eat?" Meng asked as the brown-haired boy tried in vain to reach around Toph in order to get to the cake.

"Get off of me!" Sokka finally burst out, shoving his girlfriend off his lap. "I'm trying to eat!"

"Well!" Toph folded her arms and stuck out her tongue at him. "So food is more important than I am?"

"Uh-huh," Sokka answered, voice muffled through a mouth full of chocolate cake.

"So, Katara," Aang turned to her, wiping off the icing on his face with a chocolate stained napkin, "are you going to be in the talent show?"

"No." she replied sourly. _Not after the fiasco last year._

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad," he coaxed, the hint of a smile playing up his face.

"Um, actually it was, Aang," Sokka looked up at his old friend, fork halfway to his mouth. "She froze and forgot the lyrics to her favorite song, the one she's heard about a thousand times, remember?"

"Don't remind me, please, Sokka," Katara said sharply. _At least, not what about happened after the show._

"Yeah, you and Aang drove home together, and we found you kissing in the backyard – remember?" he wriggled his eyebrow at her suggestively.

Katara was unable to repress at hiss through her teeth at the memory. "Yes, Sokka, I remember.'

"You dated Aang?" cringing at the incredulity, anger, and hurt in Jet's voice, Katara swiveled her head to face her boyfriend.

"Not…officially," she replied weakly. _Sokka is so dead, so, so, so dead._

"Oh, so you just go around kissing random boys, is that it?" Jet asked, a biting tone in his voice. "I'm just another Aang, waiting to be tossed down when you get tired of me?" He rose from his seat and began stalking towards the door.

"No, no – it's not like that at all!" Katara cried in despair, jumping up and latching on to his wrist. "Jet, that was a long time ago, and I – it's not like that! We confused our feelings, see, and it was an accident – I fell and Aang helped me up, and then I slipped again, so –"

"Does that mean _our _first kiss was an accident, then?" Jet's face was so livid that she could barely recognize him, and Katara was hit with the realization that this was a _public_ fight.

"Can I talk to you alone, Jet?" she asked icily, wanting to wince at the sound of her own voice, so unlike her normal tone. But she had to get him out of here; otherwise, it would be all over school by Monday – by way of Meng, the Gossip Queen herself.

As Katara led Jet into the living room, she heard Meng ask, in a furious voice, "You dated Floozy? How come I never heard about this, hm?" and felt a stab of pity for Aang.

"So? What is it you want to talk about? Oh, yeah – you're having some sort of secret relationship with Aang you don't want me to know about." Jet stared at her angrily, eyes glittering.

"No, no, Jet, I'm not," Katara replied calmly, meeting his eyes coolly. "That was a year ago, and things have changed since then. Aang is my friend, my oldest friend, and I want it to stay like that."

"Why didn't you _tell_ me you'd had a relationship with Aang, though?" the pain in Jet's voice was clear as he looked at her, his face drooping into a mess of hurt and betrayal.

Sitting down on the couch, Katara replied, her voice trembling, "Jet, I don't want you to think I'm in love with Aang because I'm…I'm not." _That's one potential lie down, one to go._ "I never felt the same way about him that I do about you." _Oh, wait, that _isn't _a lie._ "Please….I haven't been cheating on you, not at all. Trust me, Jet…please."

"I do," her boyfriend replied softly, "I do." Leaning forward and kissing her chastely on the lips, he wrapped his arms around her and murmured, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, 'Tara. I just….there was Aang…and that _song_…"

Katara's blood turned to ice at his words: _that song…_ Who was it meant for? Jet or herself? What did Aang know that she didn't?

And, most importantly, _When will I get over it?_

_

* * *

_And ending the chapter on that thought, what did you think of it? 'If You Could Only See' belongs to Tonic, and 'Could it Be' belongs to Christy Carlson Romano...Am I moving the story along too fast? I'm wondering how well that save the forest thing will fit in with all of this...it would just seem really weird to me, which is why I'm asking you guys. And Zuko is going to be here next chappie at school - I'm going to make some pairing references, I think, either Jinko or Maiko...which one should it be? 


	3. Move Along

_Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong  
Move along, move along like I know you do  
And even when your hope is gone  
Move along, move along just to make it through  
_Move Along; All American Rejects

**o**

The robotic beeping of the alarm clock seemed particularly obnoxious that morning as Katara Kuruk groaned and rolled over in bed, groping around for the snooze button. Fumbling with the clock, she succeeded only in raising the volume to the sound level of a concert and somehow switching from the normal blaring to a country station.

Giving up on getting another five minutes of sleep, she groggily rolled over in bed, taking a glance in the mirror and wincing at the sight of her bed-head. Snatching a brush from her bedside table, she began ripping the bristles through her hair forcefully, throwing open the closet door with her other hand.

"What should I wear?" she mumbled to herself, bleary eyed gaze running over the assorted shirts, pants and skirts. "I feel like green," Katara answered herself decisively. Still tearing through her hair, she shifted through the hangers and paused as a particular outfit caught her eye.

"Perfect," she smiled, withdrawing the light-green miniskirt from the closet. "And I can wear it with this halter top and jacket…" trailing off, Katara bit her lip thoughtfully. "Then there are those green sandals…and…" _Should I wear it? Do I even have it anymore?  
_Suddenly placing the skirt, top and jacket on the bed and throwing the brush to the floor, Katara yanked open one of her drawers and began digging through. "Here it is!" she announced triumphantly to no one in particular as she raised the trinket in front of her.

Hanging from the tips of her fingers was a carefully made necklace, a jade cared flower at the center and the remainder of the necklace weaved from thin emerald cloth. A metal clasp held the two ends together, and Katara gently undid the binding and slipped it around her neck, refastening the two pieces carefully.

Holding her breath, she turned to look in the mirror and felt tears prickle at the back of her eyes at the memories that came rushing into her mind at her own reflection. There were differences, to be sure, from what she saw and all those years ago – her hair was spilling around her shoulders instead of the braid and 'hair loopies' she'd worn as part of her costume at twelve and her face had developed and matured since then, but it still was like looking at a window through time.

That Halloween's reminisces were still as clear as day to her, and for a moment Katara closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight back the memories. But soon they overpowered her, and it was all Katara to keep from screaming out loud: _Go away, memories, you don't belong here…._

_"Aang!" the bag of candy in her hand seemed to grow heavier by the second as Katara wandered through the old neighborhood, thick with other trick-or-treaters. She squinted her eyes, straining hard to pick out a pair of light pants and a short, red cape-like top over a yellow shirt that had been part of her friend's costume._

_"Guess who!" a pair of hands slipped over Katara's eyes the same time a gleeful voice sounded in her ear, and she spun away from her friend, laughing._

_"Where have you been?" Katara demanded, giggling ceasing as she narrowed her eyes and placing her hands on her hips. "I've been looking for you, Aang. It's nearly time to get back home."_

_"Well," the newly twelve year old grinned, glancing at the lit up houses and glowing pumpkins that stood down yet another branch of the neighborhood, "I'm sure that you're parents….your dad….won't mind."_

_"Yeah, dad probably would let me stay out all night," Katara muttered, a shadow falling across her face as she turned abruptly to gaze up at the pale, full moon above them._

_"Why would you say that?" Aang furrowed his brow, boosting himself up onto stone wall bordering the street and swinging his legs back and forth._

_"My father," she said with clarity, turning to glare at her friend as though it was his own fault, "is with Sokka right now."  
"And this matters…how?" he raised his eyebrow, confusion etched on his face, and Katara was once more reminded of his naive innocence, however mature he acted – Aang was woefully unaware of 'family problems.'_

_"Aang," she sighed, eyes closing briefly then opening the tiniest bit as to blur the light of the stars and the ironically too-good-to-be-true picture before her, "Dad loves Sokka better than me."_

_"No he doesn't," he answered immediately, seeming completely sure of himself. "Your dad is fair, Katara. He just hangs around Sokka more because they're both boys. I mean, you're mom….spent….a lot of time with you, didn't she?"_

_She stiffened at the mention of her mother but chose to ignore it; Aang didn't mean anything by it anyway…"Well, yes, but I _like_ fishing and boy stuff – Sokka doesn't like doing…girly things." Katara pointed out. "Dad loves him better, Aang." She knew it was childish to say such untrue thing, but she was in a petty and self-pitying mood and wanted to stay that way._

_"I obviously can't convince you any otherwise." Katara looked up sharply; usually Aang kept supplying her with sagely advice until she caved in completely in the face of his wisdom, but then she saw that her friend was not finished. "Just know that your dad…Hakoda…loves you a lot, and one day he may be all you have."_

_"_No_ one loves me," Katara retorted sourly, clenching her hands into tight fists and digging her nails into the palms of her hands._

_"Kat, you know that's not true!" Aang sounded scandalized as he stared at her, eyes wide. "I can't swear for anyone one else, but you must know that _I_ love you."_

_Rolling her eyes at his old nickname for her, Katara couldn't help from snorting. "Yeah, right."  
"Katara!" the hurt was clear in his voice and his eyes were full of pain as they met her own. Guilt spiked through her and she purposely looked towards the ground; why was Aang the only one who could make her feel so bad?_

_"Of course I love you!" Aang told her, obviously pained. "Why wouldn't I? In fact, I even have a gift for you."  
"A…Halloween gift?" Katara raised her eyebrow._

_"Whatever you want to call it. Just close your eyes." Wrinkling her forehead in confusion, the girl obliged however confusedly, waiting patiently for the surprise her best friend had in store for her._

_A soft strip of cotton slipped around her neck and Katara tried to hide a smile; Aang had gotten her a necklace! _It's so thoughtful of him_, she mused, _it must be because he heard I'd lost my mother's necklace… _Katara waited for him to pull away, but her best friend lingered behind her for a moment, silent. She nearly froze when his hands caressed the back of her neck, and sucked in her breath, tempted to ask what the heck he was doing…_

_But as soft lips were pressed gently to the back of her spine, Katara _didn't_ want him to stop. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her…forget it if he was a year younger than her; hell, Aang was the nicest boy she'd ever met…_

_"It's a necklace." Disappointment rushed into her as he pulled away, and even more so that he seemed to be trying impossibly hard to ignore his little 'kiss.'_

_Katara opened her eyes and fingered the cloth band around her neck; she discerned a carved flower and dimly noted by way of glancing down her nose that the necklace was, in fact, green._

_Aang began to beckon her towards the next neighborhood and Katara tried to forget the way shivers had run down her spine when his mouth met her skin…._

Present-day Katara stopped herself from screaming; why did she have to remember things like this when they clearly were too far behind to matter? Aang had Meng and she had Jet; Jet that was incredibly cute and the lead hockey player at the University. Jet that was considerate….

Jet that she wasn't in love with.

_Jet that she wasn't in love with._

It hit her like a smack in the face, those words, and Katara quickly brushed them away: obviously, her old memory had triggered some forgotten feeling, one that _she would not yield to_.

Glancing up at her clock she saw it was nearly six thirty and almost time to go and went into a flurry of activities, hopping into the shower and pouring the shampoo into her hair.

But at the hot water flowed around Katara and she closed her eyes wistfully, she remembered: _He said he loved me. Aang said he loved me. Aang loves me._

The water rushed around her as everything climaxed into that single moment when those sweet, sweet words echoed in her head: _Aang loves me._

Katara took a shuddering breath as she stepped out of the shower and into her clothes; those days were gone and it was not her place to bring them back.

So she headed off to school and tried not to think about the green necklace hidden yet again in the safety of her dresser drawer.

* * *

Hm...was Katara too OOC in this? I made her thirteen so she wouldn't seem TOO immature, but we all need our self-pity moments, and I think I did fairly well capturing her flawed side... 

I didn't really get much accomplished in this chapter, I admit, but it was some background on Aang and Katara, and I think I needed to devote some space to a flashback like this one.

But what really matters is this: Did you guys like it?

EDIT: Something wierd happened and I had to repost this chappie. Sorry, everyone...but hopefully it gives people a second chance to read it.


	4. I Decide

_I decide how I live  
I decide who I love  
Choice is mine  
And no one gets to make my mind up  
I decide  
I decide where I go  
What I need  
Who I know  
I'm the one who's runnin' my life  
I decide  
I decide_

Lindsay Lohan, I Decide

**o**

"So…how was Pre-Calculus?" Sokka asked casually as he slid his stray next to his sister's.

"Fine." Katara replied bluntly, bringing her turkey sub sandwich up to her mouth and nearly taking a bite before setting it down again distastefully.

"Is something wrong?" Aang asked curiously, glancing up from his book worriedly.

"No." she sighed. "I just was thinking about…." Katara hesitated; what could she say? Certainly no one could no about the memories that had been running through her head that morning… "…about the forest."

Aang looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Well…you know…it's going to be cut down…" Katara trailed off at her friend's shocked and horrified expression.

"What!" Aang turned to Meng, a pained look on his face. "Did you know about this?"

"I don't even know what forest your talking about!" the black-haired girl protested, glaring at Katara. "Jeez, now I'm going to have to listen to environmental speeches all day! Next time, stay quiet, will you?"

The brunette shrugged sheepishly. "I'm sorry….I, err, though he knew already."  
"We have to stop it!" Aang burst out, eyes wide as saucers as his head swiveled to look at Katara.

"You'll have to talk to her," Katara pointed to Azula, currently chatting to her friends in line as she waited for a tray. The girl seemed to notice she was being watched, and with a flick of her wrist she silenced the other two girls with her and gave Aang a wave and a flirtatious smirk as he stared at her openly.

"She's hot," he managed to get out. "Is she some sort of environmentalist? I bet she could help…."  
"You idiot!" Katara cuffed him on the head. "That's _Azula_! _Her_ dad bought the forest! _She _is the _villain_!"

Aang paused. "Oh. But she _is_ hot."

Both Meng and Katara hit him at once.

"You were nearly drooling," his girlfriend pointed out, leaning back in her chair. "I don't care _how_ hot she is –"

"Pretty hot," Sokka put in, earning a pinch from Toph.

"– you have a girlfriend – _me_," Meng finished, ignoring Sokka's remark to the best of her ability.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Suki rolled her eyes. "You only brag about it every other second."  
"At least I _have_ a boyfriend," Meng muttered, shoveling a fork load of spaghetti into her mouth.

"You take that back!" Suki hissed, standing up and shoving her chair back with a loud screech.

"Well, it's true," Sokka pointed out bluntly.

She turned to him, blushing furiously under her friends' gazes. "Oh, be quiet, Sokka."  
"Yeah, Snoozles – shut up and kiss me." Katara groaned inwardly as Toph pressed her mouth onto Sokka's; it seemed the brash girl would use any excuse to kiss her boyfriend.

"I'm leaving," the brunette announced loudly, standing up from the table and dumping her lunch in the trash as she passed.

"I'll come with you." Aang's voice came from behind her and she winced – _Not now, not after this morning…._

"Not in the mood for it, Aang. Besides, you have Meng to deal with." Katara increased her pace the tiniest bit as to show she really meant what she said.

"She'll be fine. I want to talk to you."

Katara turned to him, exasperated. "Fine! What in the world do you want? Really, I need to study right now."  
"Study, Kat?" Aang raised an eyebrow effectively. "_Now_? What happened to that procrastinating girl I once knew? Is everything that holds meaning to me slipping away into the depths of the abyss?" he asked mockingly, raising his hands above his head as to ask the gods.

Glaring at him, the sixteen year old began walking again, snapping back at him, "Yeah, _sure_ you wanted to talk to me."  
"No, really, I do!" the black haired teen protested, rushing to catch up with her. "I wanted to ask more about the forest. What are we going to do about it?"

"You mean what are _you_ going to do about it," she pointed out dryly, tapping her foot impatiently. _Please, please get out of here…._

"Well, yeah," Aang admitted, sticking his hands in his pockets. "But I need ideas. Come one, anything?"

"Hm," Katara feigned deep thinking, tapping her chin. "How about, _get out of my way_?" _Oh, Tui, forgive me…._

"No, really," Aang pleaded. "Think of all the memories of the forest we share! Apple picking…hide and seek…chasing around Appa and Momo….discovering caves together…"  
Katara stiffened. "Don't," she hissed, "ever mention that cave again."

"It's a part of our life and our relationship, Kat," he replied gently. "You can't erase it."  
She gritted her teeth. "No, but I can try." And with that she pivoted on her heel and began walking faster than ever down the hall, trying to resist the urge to turn back to him and apologize for everything, to explain why she was acting like this…

Katara couldn't help glancing back over her shoulder, and had to refuse the sudden overpowering sensation to slap herself. Aang was standing there straight as a wall, his face twisted in a mess of contorted hurt and betrayal. He looked dismayed and helpless as he slowly faced the cafeteria doors again, back hunched like that of an old man, and disappeared into the crowd.

Coming to a halt, Katara took a deep breath in order to calm herself. _Come one, Katara, it's okay, you just need to get your feelings into control…_

"Hey, tea shop rat!" the taunting voice came from behind her, and she automatically ignored it – _tea shop rat_? Clearly, they were talking to someone else.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Yeah, that's right, _you_!" Katara stopped herself from whirling around and giving this obnoxious person a good punch – if they didn't stop soon…

"I said _I'm talking to you_!" the nameless girl called again, tone sharp and partly irritated.

"Look, I don't know _who_ you think you are," Katara spun around, gnashing her teeth and smoke nearly pouring out of her ears, "But _no one_ talks to me like that, you hear me?" Taking in the two shocked girls before her, she noted the brunette's all pink outfit and the other girl's midnight black skirt, shirt and jacket.

"Oh…" Pink (heck, Katara had no other name for her) began, "We thought you were someone else."  
"Jin's her name," Black added, her expression unreadable.

"Well…" Katara scowled. "I don't see why you'd act like that to anyone. Who was yelling at me anyway?"  
Ignoring her question, Pink explained, "I'm Ty Lee, and this is Mai. We thought you were Jin. You know, the girl that works in the tea shop on Flaming Dragon Avenue?"  
"No, I don't know," Katara replied shortly, scrutinizing the two carefully through squinted eyes.

"Well, she's a boyfriend stealer," Ty Lee went on, disregarding the dark-skinned teen's comment completely. "She got Mai's boyfriend, Zuko, to go on a date with her while they were both in Ba Sing Se – it's in Arizona, isn't that right, Mai?"

The girl in black shrugged. "Yeah…I think so. Anyway, sorry about the yelling. I wouldn't have said anything but…well, it was Ty Lee's idea," she confessed, eyes gleaming with a foreign emotion Katara could not name.

"Whatever," she responded curtly, already turning brusquely and heading back down the hall.

"Wait!" pausing with one foot above the ground, Katara indicated with an absurd hand motion that Mai could go on. "If you…if you need advice…" she turned to stare back at the black-loving girl; what was she getting at? "There's a place….next to the tea shop. Aunt Wu's fortune telling." Cocking her head inquisitively, Katara stared openly. "Just go there if you need advice, okay?" With that the dark-haired girl whirled around and marched back into the cafeteria without so much as a glance to Katara, quickly followed by her pink-loving friend.

She stared after them, speechless. "Aunt Wu's…?" Shaking her head, Katara let out a long sigh. Everything was so confusing…Aang…Jet…these two _new_ girls – and now a _fortune teller_?

_Well, _she considered for a moment, _I _do _need advice_… chewing on her lip, Katara glanced at her watch. Nope, school hadn't miraculously ended while she was talking to Mai and Ty Lee.

_Ah, well…never skipped school before, but as Aang says, there's a first time for everything…_ "How will I get there, though?" she asked aloud, and for a moment Katara felt relief wash over her – a dead end meant she wouldn't have to skip…

"Katara?" the voice seemed to come from nowhere and she spun around to see Aang gazing at her, a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Aang…" Katara began, brain already whirling. "Can I ask a favor?"

Quirking an eyebrow at her, he commented coolly, "I thought you wanted me to go away."

"Well, sorry about that," the sophomore apologized hastily, "but I need a ride."

"A ride…now?" looking at her suspiciously, the sixteen year old asked, "Who are you and what have you done with my friend?"

"No, really," Katara reassured, glancing once more at the clock. "I'm serious – I need you to take me somewhere."

"Does this…have anything to do with Jet?" Aang inquired carefully. "If you're helping him cheat or anything, you should –"

"No, no, nothing to do with Jet!" Katara interrupted, horrified. "I need a ride to a fortune tellers place."

"Fortune teller?" Aang seemed to perk up and a smile broke across his face. "Awesome! Hey, maybe this weekend we can take Jet and Meng! There's this one guy Gyatso used to know…Pathik, I think…"

"Yes, that's great, Aang," she said slowly, trying not to sound impatient, "but we need to go. _Now_."

He seemed to jerk out of a trance at the urgency in her voice. "But why, Katara? You said you needed to go _now_, but why would it be so important? What is it that would cause you to skip half the school day?" Aang's eyes met hers solemnly. "Why are you acting like this, Kat? First the forest, now this…" he trailed off. "I feel like I don't know you anymore."

"Aang…" Katara mumbled, avoiding his eyes, "This is…this is really important. I need advice from this Aunt Wu person. I know it sounds dumb, but I really think it will help me get through all of this…please?" She forced herself to meet his gaze, trying desperately to ignore the shivers that were sent cascading down her spine and her oh-so-warm cheeks.

He hesitated. "Alright…you're lucky I have a car, though," Aang added. "I just got my license yesterday – let's hope I don't run into anything."

Katara looked at him, confused. "But your only fifteen."

He shrugged sheepishly. "Gyatso has connections."

Furrowing her brow, she signaled for them to begin walking. It was obvious Aang was uneasy about skipping from the way his feet seemed to drag on the floor of the tiled hall; the way his eye's kept catching on classroom doors and windows…

"Aang….you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

He turned to her, an odd look on his face; as though he felt she was lying somehow by talking to him so nicely. "No, Katara. You need me…I can see your confused. I understand. But how are we going to get out without them noticing?"  
"Leave that to me." The two spun around to see Toph smirking at them, eyes gleaming in something akin to triumph. "Good girl gone bad, I see."

"I – I –" Katara sputtered.

"S'okay, Sugar Queen – I cut all the time," Toph reassured. "I on a first name basis with the guards."

At this, Aang couldn't seem to help it. "Guards?" he squeaked.

"Well…" Toph scrunched up her nose. "They're mostly for…the richer families. As in mine."

Katara quirked an eyebrow. "So, your, ah, _parents_ –"

"More like prison wardens," the black-haired girl muttered darkly.

"- hired a guard to make sure you don't leave school?" her friend finished.

"Two," Toph confirmed, motioning to the pair with her hand as she began walking. "Xin Fu and some Yu guy. At first they wouldn't let me out of their sights, but we got to know each other a little better, and once they found out I wouldn't tell if they let me leave…" she didn't finished her sentence but simpered at Katara. "It should be easy. Don't sweat it – none of us will get caught, I promise."

Aang still looked worried. "If you say so, Toph."

"Come on," she whispered, attention diverting to the teachers conversing in the room just in front of them to their right. "We've gotta be quiet here. Bumi's okay, but Zhao is really tough if he catches you. Oh, and Kuei – you can fool _him_ really easily. But watch out for Long Feng; he'll humiliate you in front of everyone."

Katara nodded, now fully focused on the task at hand. Pressing herself against the wall, she crouched down and tiptoed past the door of the room, careful not to make even a single sound. She could have sworn that one nearly bald teacher with an oddly bloodshot eye gave her a wink as she passed, and Katara blushed furiously when he gave her a wave as to say, 'go on, go on, your little secret is safe with me.'

Ducking down further, the 16 year old darted down the hall, bursting out into the blinding sunlight with a sigh of relief. Toph eyed her amusedly. "Where's Twinkle Toes?"

Katara shrugged, straightening up as she caught her breath. "Back there somewhere."

Just as the words came out of her mouth, Aang burst through the double doors and bent over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily. Glancing up at Katara, he grinned. "We should do this more often."

Rolling her eyes, Katara began to walk into the parking lot, then realized she had no idea what Toph's car looked like. Glancing at her friends, she saw they had taken off in a completely different direction and hurried after them.

When the reached the car, Katara just gaped. "Toph, _this_ is your car? You never told me you had a convertible! And it's so _new_. How'd you get your parents to buy this?"

Toph smiled. "Allowance, my friend, allowance."

Sliding into the car, the raven-haired teen stuck the key into the ignition. "You guys coming?"  
Aang grinned wolfishly and slipped into the back seat of the car, closely followed by Katara. "Let's go."

The car gave a rumble as it started up and started rolling over the pavement. Toph carefully maneuvered around the other cars parked on the asphalt, and glided up to the exit, where two middle aged men stood crowded together into a small metal booth. Resting her arm outside the car, Toph greeted, "Hi guys. Got some friends with me today. Hope you don't mind."

Xin Fu snorted. "Their parents aren't the ones that sign our paycheck. Go on, Bei Fong. We don't want anyone seeing you leaving the parking lot. Sighing, beckoned with his arm for her to go. Toph saluted him and drove out of the parking lot and onto the road, the car giving a jolt as it bumped onto the street.

Glancing behind to smile arrogantly at Katara, the sophomore announced, "Aunt Wu's, here we come."

**o**

"Hello?" Katara called as she shoved open the door to Aunt Wu's Fortune Telling, a bell dinging and announcing her arrival. She glanced around the darkened room, smoky with incense, then back at Toph and Aang, lounging against the wall. "Anyone here?"

"Come in the next room, dear," the voice floated out from behind a beaded curtain that seemed to lead to the next room down. "I'm ready."

Taking a deep breath, Katara stepped across the room and brushed aside the veil. This room was lit by a glowing fire in the center and the brunette gave a hacking cough before sitting nervously down on one of the wooden benches.

"Ready for your reading?" Looking around confusedly, Katara saw no one; however, when she looked back in front of her, she saw a plump woman sitting on the bench directly opposite her own.

Blinking, Katara took in this strange new appearance. The woman looked to be about in her fifties as she adjusted her yellow hat, makeup heavily applied to her face. She was clothed in a long, flowing kimono, embroidered with flowers and Japanese symbols. The woman looked up and beamed at Katara. "I'm Aunt Wu. So, you've come for your fortune, eh? Well, drink up." Aunt Wu handed poured a steaming, hot liquid into a porcelain cup, reaching across the fire, as if for Katara to take it.

Seeing the girls confused expression, she explained, "You drink the tea and I read the leaves."

Nodding, Katara brought the fine china to her lips, shuddering at the bitterness of the drink. Downing the beverage in one gulp, she handed the tea cup back to the fortune teller silently, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Aunt Wu peered closely at the cup, a strange focus coming over her face as she turn the cup every which way. She seemed to stare down into the clumpy leaves for an eternity before she finally looked up, an unreadable look on her face.

"Well, my dear, you have an interesting fortune." Motioning for Katara to come closer, she seemed to sense the girl's hesitancy and smiled. "Don't worry, I won't bite."

Katara straightened up and sidestepped around the smoky fire, settling down next to Aunt Wu.

"We'll start," the fortune teller said, her tone suddenly business like, "You can see her, at the bottom of the cup, we have the cross. This is a sign for cloudiness, inconsistency in your life; I can only guess that there is an issue you are not quite clear on, one that must be cleared up.

"Katara," the woman looked at her seriously, and although the brunette desperately wanted to scream, _How do you know my name?_, she kept quite, "you have a sign I have not seen for quite a while: an hourglass. Normally, I would let it be, but seeing as the rest of your fortune is as it is, I must tell you: it is important, even _crucial_, that you act soon. I cannot say in what, only that time is running out for you. Soon, there will be none left."

"But –" Katara began, and here Aunt Wu held up her hand to silence her –

"No interruptions; I can say nothing more. We must move to the next sign." Rotating the cup clockwise, she indicated a clump of leaves in the shape of some sort of small mammal and two stick shaped lumps next to it. "Here we have the cat – meaning deceit, or a false friend – and next to it we have both the knife _and_ the dagger. The knife is a symbol for broken friendship, a hidden enemy, and the dagger if for danger, presented by one's self or others. There is danger coming, Katara, and listen to me: _you must stop it_. There will be grave harm a hand, whether physical, emotional, or otherwise I cannot say. I can only assume it is presented by a false friend due to the cat; however I have been wrong before. But you must _be on your lookout_. _Danger is coming_ and it _must be stopped_."

Leaning back and peering at Katara, Aunt Wu grinned. "Now we can get to what I think of as the good part, although the prospect of one's future is never really bright. There is a gate here, for an opportunity at hand; I suggest you take it. The leaf is nearby, which suggests an opportunity for a new life, something we all could look forward to, eh? It also looks like you will be breaking free of something soon," Katara opened her mouth to object; surely there was nothing to break free of?, but the fortune teller went on, "do not doubt my methods, Katara; I say this due to the kite, and the leaves never lie.

"And my personal favorite: the rose. It seems you have quite a romance at hand! My guess is an old friend ---" here Aunt Wu winked at Katara suggestively ---"although I could learn more by studying your palm. But then," the fortune teller frowned, as though something was troubling her, "we have the wasp! And so close, as well! I have never seen such two contradictorial symbols ---" looking up, the woman seemed to notice her customer's confused expression. "Oh, the wasp is romantic problems! Such troubling things ahead for you! Maybe, one relationship ends while you find true love at the start of another. But I dare say we are out of time - you're friends will be waiting, no?" Aunt Wu smiles, the wrinkled skin beneath her eyes crinkling.

There was a moment that Katara kept staring at her. It was hard to take it all in: all she'd wanted was advice, but..._At least I know that there's danger now...and to break free...and that time is running out...and...and...what else was it that she said?_

Groaning inwardly, Katara placed her head in her hands. _I'm even more confused than when I got here!_ When she looked up, Aunt Wu was already gone, and there was no trace that there had ever been more than one person there.

Straightening up and sighing, the brunette pushed passed the bead curtain once more. Aang jumped with a start and Toph asked, her voice tinged with annoyance, "What took you so long?"  
"What did she say?" Aang asked eagerly, eyes gleaming. "Did she predict treasure of good fortune? Man, this is so cool! Do you think I could..." beckoning towards the door, he looked at her pleadingly.

Katara nodded, smiling at him, then forcing her facial expression back into a frown. "Sure, go ahead."

Aang rushed into the next room. "Hello? Anyone here?" they heard him call. After a moment he came back out, scratching his head with a puzzled look on his face. "Huh, that's wierd. There's no one there."

As they exited the building, Toph noted, "The sign says 'closed', and it didn't when we came in here. There's something freaky about this place," she added as she slid into the front seat of the car, eyes darkening.

None of the other two passengers replied.

As the car glided out onto the street and into a mess of blinking traffic lights and honking cars, Katara was not thinking about what lay in store for her at home, or the date she had with Jet that night. She was not thinking of what her father would say, or if they would get caught, or how this would affect her school record.

No, Katara was not thinking of any of these things, for the during the long ride home, she could not seem to stop coming back to the jasmine-scented and dimly lit room she had been in that day, and the hunched over old woman with the gleaming eyes, in her bony hands clutched the frail china cup that held within it the depths of her future.

* * *

I really liked writing this chapter. I loved the Aunt Wu scenes, the foreshadowing, and all the fortune telling I got to put in - especially the 'good stuff.'

And I know it's lame to advertise here, but did anyone (besides libowiekitty) see my Kataang 1sentence fic? It was up Saturday, I think.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Just so you know, the action _really_ starts next chapter. We get some Jet and Katara action, a few father-daughter arguments, and a whole lot of drama.


	5. To You All

**A/N:** Merry Christmas! It's kinda ironic that I finally found time to update on today, of all day's...Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, and I'll try to update soon--sooner than this time, anyway.

Also...will you tell my if the end's a little confusing? I'm not sure if I like it or not. And the incident Aang speaks of, is NOT, in fact, 'The Cave.' I think I might include a flashback...cookies to whoever guesses what it is (it's kind of mirrored in the show, like I'm sure you've guessed from the other incident taking place in a cave)!

And I'm considering giving a prize to the person that can tell me which anime uses the song (below) as an ending theme, since I'm sure not many people know it.

_

* * *

_

_Everything about you, your smile, your anger  
Keeps me walking forward _

If I just look up,  
Where the clouds start to break

I think you know what I mean.  
I think you know what I mean.  
Michi (To You All); Aluto 

**o**

"How was school today?"

Katara Kuruk winced as her father's voice floated from the kitchen into the entry hall, sending waves of guilt crashing over her. Dumping her backpack on her chair, she called back, "It was fine, Dad." _Why are you home so early?_ She added silently. _Sokka could have told you, but…_

"Oh, really? _Fine_, hmm? Well, I don't see how you could _know_, see as, according to Sokka, you missed half of it." Her father's voice became sharp as he appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes alight with anger. "What's happening to you, Katara? I just don't understand. Why are you skipping school? Is it _Jet_?"

_Oh no…_Katara remained silent, striding past her father into the kitchen. Following her as she paused at the sink and began filling a glass of water, he admonished, "Now you talk to me, young lady. I don't want you skipping school anymore, and as of now, you're grounded."

"What?!?!" Katara yelped, spinning to face him and tossing the cup in the sink, the plastic ricocheting off the bottom with a loud 'plink.' "You can't be serious! Why, Dad? I can't be _grounded_!" _Aang….Jet…Toph…oh sweet Agni, what have I done?_

"So now you talk," Hakoda noted, arms crossing. "Katara, I can't let you go on with skipping. You're a good student and I don't want you going down the wrong path."

"But….but….Dad…" brain whirling, she tried to come up with an adequate excuse. "I have a boyfriend. I have a social life. Toph knows people, and there are parties –"

"Parties I don't want you going to," her father interrupted. "Obviously, you're under a bad influence. And I don't want you hanging out with Toph anymore without your brother or me there."

"But she's Sokka's own girlfriend!" Katara cried, outraged by the injustice of it all.

Hakoda let out a slow stream of air. "I know that, Katara. I think she's a fine girl, but that doesn't mean that everything she does is saintly."

"I--" she broke off, staring at the tiled floor. _I guess..._ she admitted reluctantly to herself, _I guess...I kind of deserve this..._ Drawing in a deep breath, Katara inquired softly, trying desperately to level out her anger with reason, "How long am I grounded?"

Hakoda raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised at his daughters sudden change of attitude towards her punishment. Observing her as if seeing her for the first time, her father stated, "two weeks. No dates, no parties, no friends, just home."

"Can my friends come here?" Waggling her eyebrow, Katara tried to look like she didn't care either way.

"Yes," he decided. "I don't see any harm in that. But only with either myself or your brother here as well."

Nodding, Katara trudged up the stairs. Throwing open the door to her room, she flopped down on her blue bedspread buried her face in her pillow, and groaned. "What is _wrong_ with me?" _If only I'd decided to wait and go tonight…_ Sighing, she reached lifted her head from her pillow and reached across the bed for the phone. _I have to tell Jet that tonight is cancelled._ But instead, she found herself dialing Aang's number.

_Ring…ring…ring…_ then, a curious voice answered, "hello?"

"Aang?" Katara asked uncertainly, winding the phone cord around her fingers.  
"I…well…wanted to tell you…"

"Tell me what?" his voice was tinged with suspicion, almost as if he expected her to say something further to hurt him.

"Well, first, I want to say thanks for coming with me…" Katara hesitated. "And I just wanted to tell you that if you want to see me, you need to come over here, because I got grounded for two weeks."

"Oh no!" Aang gasped, sounding truly concerned. "I feel so bad! I should have stopped you – now you're in trouble because of me!"

"It's not your fault, Aang," Katara assured, hugging her pillow to her chest. "I shouldn't have skipped. I should have waited…I guess I just felt like I needed my feelings sorted out, y'know?"

"Yeah," he replied softly, "I know."

There was a long pause. Finally, Katara asked, "Did you get in trouble?"

She could nearly see Aang shrug. "Gyatso never found out. And I don't think he would care. He knows I only skip if it's important."

"Aang…" Katara began, not really knowing what she was going to say. "Do you think...my father might let me go if it was you...would you like to go to the State Park this weekend?" She blinked. It had popped out before she even thought about it. _I thought my feelings were supposed to be gone now! As in, not there! _"I mean, as friends," she added quickly.

"The state park," he mused, pausing for a moment. "That was the place..." Aang trailed off, obviouslt uncertain.

"Just...just forget it, Aang," Katara squinted her eyes and buried herself deeper in the bed, uncomfortable despite the physical distance between them.

"I...alright." He hesitated. "So..this weekend...I guess we could just kayak or go caving. I'll bring my gear if you'll bring Sokka's boat with you."

"I'll ask him," Katara assured her friend, slightly troubled over what this meeting could mean--to herself and others--but unwilling to back out now when Aang was already so wary of her.

"So..." he cleared his throat. "I broke up with Meng."  
"W-what?" Katara stammered, finger nails digging into her palm and her grip on the phone tightening.

"Yeah. It, err, wasn't working. And then, today..." Aang paused, and asked her daringly, "What did you think of her?"  
"What do you mean?" Katara countered, still stunned and slightly confused.

"I never found out...how you felt about Meng and my relationship," he pointed out, voice crackling--from phone static or perhaps even the tension between them Katara didn't know.

"I..I never thought she was..right for you...Aang," she mumbled, eyes closing briefly as she fought back the memories of the jealousy that had so often overcome her when near her old friend's girlfriend.

"Oh...well...then...then that's good, isn't it?" he laughed nervously.

There was a long silence.

"Goodbye, I guess," Katara said awkwardly, still unsure of what all of this could mean. _Everything's just getting so...messed up..._

"W-wait!" Aang cried. "Katara...how are you and Jet doing?"  
She felt her mouth drop open. _What...the...hell..._ "Okay. Why do you want to know?" Katara tacked on, determined to find out.

"Just curious." He replied easily, obviously trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Well...g'bye."

There was the click that signaled the end of the call, then…silence.

"Goodbye," Katara whispered, even though only the ring dial and the empty of her of her bedroom were left to hear it.

Lying down on her back and staring at the ceiling, Katara closed her eyes briefly. There was nothing to do….no one to talk to….she couldn't leave the house...

Sighing, she got up from the bed and stretched, glancing towards the window surreptitiously. "Oh, well," she muttered to herself, sitting back down on the bed gently, smoothing the comforter beneath her. Slowly lying back, her hair splayed across the pillow, for a moment as her vision shut against the bright sunlight falling in shafts on her bedspread, everything was so peaceful - so without the confusion and indecision that she had learned to live with - Katara felt she could stay there forever, without having to come out and face the harsh and bitter truth that was reality.

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing ring echoed throughout the room.

"Arrgh!" Leaping up, alarmed, Katara let out a breath she'd been holding as she realized that it was only the phone. "H-hello?" she spoke into it, still shaken.

"Katara!" Aang sounded breathless. "I almost forgot--the mall!"  
"The...mall?" Katara's brow furrowed. _Wait...oh, that mall!_ "What about it?"  
"We have to organize a meeting!" he told her. "I'll put up posters or talk to the student council or--or something! And...and the animals--yes, this has _got_ to work!"

"Right," she agreed quickly. "I'll talk to Sokka and see if Jet can ask the hockey team about it. I'll...I'll do whatever I can, Aang."  
There was a moment where neither of them spoke. Then, her oldest friend asked quietly, "You will?"  
Heart beating wildly for a reason she could not name, Katara reassured him, "Yes, Aang. Yes I will."

Yet another period of quiet followed, but this one was far more comfortable and friendly then the last. It warmed Katara's heart to know that she and Aang were still capable of such a thing, even after the events that had strained their friendship nearly to its breaking point.

"Okay, well, I'll see you tommorrow, I guess," Aang told her. Katara could here the smile in his voice, and felt a sudden rush of affection for the boy.

Once again the dial tone reverbrated through the phone, and, feeling better than she had before the call, Katara hung the phone up on its hook.

Normally she would have fought off any feelings of happiness unusual to her directly after talking to Aang, but she was in too good a mood to throw it away now. Besides, Katara smiled to herself, it wasn't wrong to be _happy_, was it? She would be fine staying with Jet and just hanging out with Aang as a friend...right? Katara groaned, holding her head in her hands. No, no, _no_! She was second guessing herself again! It just wouldn't do to keep brooding over this, it was fine, fine, fine, fine, _fine_!  
"Damn," Katara growled under her breath, all joy evaporated. Everything seemed to trace back to the issue of Jet vs. Aang. She _had_ to figure this out soon. _And my fortune_, Katara remembered. Normally she'd never believe in fortune telling or anything of the sort--she had lived with her concrete brother long enough for his skeptical attitude to at least somewhat sneak in--but she couldn't shake the feeling that this 'Aunt Wu' was the real thing. What about the harm that was coming to her? Who could possibly want to hurt her?  
Katara counted off the people inside her head. _Azula...Meng...hardly any at all, now that I think of it._

But as for potential threats...Katara hesitated, resolve wavering. Could one of them be, well...Jet? If, by some miracle, Aang won over (and she was _not_ in love with him, she told herself firmly) then he could get mad at her, and when Jet was angry...

Katara chose not to finish that thought. But one thing was certain--regardless of whether or not she chose Aang or Jet, there was going to be trouble.

Katara slowly walked over to the window and stared out across the yard, brow furrowed in concentration as she finally allowed herself to think deeply about everything that was happening. She tried to tell herself it was normal to feel the way she did about Aang, that it was just friendly affection, and not love. She pretended, for a moment, that it didn't matter at all, and asked herself: _Who would you choose then?_

Aprubtly, she swiveled around, and, without even putting on her pajamas, crawled into bed. She lay there for hours, wide awake, staring at the ceiling.

The problem was, that, even after giving herself an honest answer, Katara couldn't seem to tell if it was the wrong one after all.

In the end, she fell into an uneasy sleep, with a small voice in the back of her head still forcing her to wonder if she could any longer tell the difference.


End file.
