1.

She doesn't hear him approach. Instead, she feels the heat of his chest against her shoulder as he takes a seat next to her and scoots closer. He's always been unnaturally stealthy, and Ember Island's soft, white sand only increases that ability to absurd levels.

"Since when do you rise with the sun?" His sleep-roughened voice sends a thrill down her spine. She's eighty-nine, not dead, so she allows herself that little whim, one that belongs to a younger girl.

She smiles. "Since I got myself my very own firebender."

His hands come around her shoulders to wrap the blanket a little more snugly. "Is it...is it strange, for you, to be here?"

The hesitation she senses makes her turn. "It's your childhood home. You told me it houses many good memories, from a better time." She raises a hand to trace his marred cheek. "To me, it's the place we started being friends. It's not that strange. It feels...right."

He closes his eyes at her touch and brushes his lips against her palm. "Are you happy?" he murmurs.

She makes a mildly incredulous noise. Why is he doing this today? " I have the ocean at my feet and the sun on my skin. Even the moon stops to salute us before starting her descent," she gestures at the barely lit crescent disappearing in the reddened sky.

He's looking at her. His eyes are twin embers, warming her more than the first few rays of sun bursting through the horizon. Her heart swells. "And you. I have you. I am happy."

And because she knows him so well (always has), she anticipates his next question. "Of course I'll miss the South Pole- it's my home. But it's been a year, and I want this place to be home too. Besides, there's nothing much for me there, anymore." She falters for a second. She's felt that way for years now, but it doesn't make the fact any easier to swallow. "Korra's on her way to being the Avatar- and woman- she's meant to be. Bumi's always traveling. Tenzin has a family of his own. I've taught Kya everything I know, she's one of the best healers in the South. Plus," she adds brightly, "she can always visit."

His chest rumbles against her back in a silent laugh. "Yes, she can. Anyone can."

"If they need me, they know where to find me. And if anything happens," she smirks, "I'm sure Druk will be happy to take us for a ride."

He huffs, before slipping an arm around her and pulling her closer. "That dragon likes you more than me."

She grins at his petulant expression. "Oh, I love it when you get a little jealous."

"I love you."

He's said those very words before. Years ago, with the both of them sitting in front of a small fire, cup of jasmine tea in hand. The words then had been a quiet confession, a mixture of anxiety and caution, as his gold eyes searched her blue ones.

She'd been waiting for those words.

He loves her, he says. This time, the words simply sound like the truth.

"I love you, too."

Destiny, she thinks, is a very funny thing.

She raises her other hand to cup his face and places a soft kiss on his lips. His fingers encircle her wrists to keep them in place and he leans his forehead against hers. His breath fans against her cheeks.

"Sometimes," he starts, "I wish..."

She waits. It's been a while, she surmises, since the former Firelord has let himself acknowledge a selfish desire, let alone express it freely. She'll encourage it, though, and she hopes he'll get used to it. She wants him to be free.

"I wish we didn't waste so much time. I wish we had more." Shame and remorse flood his features as he hears the words pouring out of him. She steadies the hands holding his face and forces him to look her in eyes.

He'll break from time to time. There are cracks left by badly healed scars from old, sometimes forgotten wounds. But she'll be there to piece him back together. She hopes he'll get used to that, too.

"And what exactly would you have changed? What would you have given up- your country, your people? Your beautiful, competent daughter or your brave grandchildren?" She threads her fingers through his hair. "If you did, you wouldn't be you. And we wouldn't be here."

He stays silent but nods once, and the scars are already a little smoother.

"Besides," she feels a smile start to grow, "A fortune teller told me I'd pass away in my sleep after having a third great-grandchild. Jinora's barely in her teens. I'd say we have some time left, provided that you keep up."

His lips twitch in amusement before his hands slip from her wrists to cup the back of her neck. Amber eyes glitter with gratitude. "I guess it's fortuitous that I'm rather good at chasing, and really, really bad at letting go."

"Thank the spirits for small miracles," she replies with a kiss.

He reaches behind his back to brandish a beautiful, purple dragon flower, that he promptly tucks behind her ear.

She bites her lip. The gesture is cheesy, endearingly so, and so quintessentially him that it makes her chest hurt in a terribly good way.

She heals him, yes, but he's healing her as well. After all, she's got many scars of her own.

"I love it," she whispers. I love you, she means.

"I know you do," he answers. I love you, too.

"Happy anniversary, Zuko."

This time, he's the one who kisses her. "Happy anniversary, Katara."

A/N:

And it's doneThank you to all of those who've read, commented on this fic. This one's for you, and I definitely couldn't have done it without your words of praise and encouragement.

Geez, you guys don't know how much your comments meant to me.

Thank you all.

Shoutout in particular to one author, andromeda3116 and her fic "such selfish prayers", without whom this fic wouldn't have existed because her Katara inspired my Katara. She's an amazing author, and you guys should read her works of art if you haven't already.