Proposal

It was late summer, and Katara was more than happy to be returning home from her visit to the southern water tribe. Things could not have been any better, the water tribe had grown five times its original size thanks to master pakku and the other water benders. Sokka and Suki announce that they were expecting a baby at the end of the winter and Hakoda had planned a banquet in honor of the completion of the new ice palace.

All in all it was a great trip, but Katara had missed the cool marble floor of her home. She had missed the turtle duck pond and she had especially missed her boyfriend of two years.

As she pushed through the doors of the palace she had expected to find him standing there with a goofy grin on his face with his arms open. She had been wanting to claim him lips right then and there, but when she pushed the doors open she found the front hall empty. All that was heard through the halls were the tapping of her shoes hitting the floor. If he wasn't in the front hall that only meant he was in a meeting or out by the turtle duck pond.

As she passed a hall way, two guards spotted her and she heard one whisper, "There she is, get her"

Panic over ran Katara and she walked a little faster. They began to follow close on her tail. They picked up speed and Katara felt shivers down her spine. Had she missed something while she was gone. Had Azula and Ozai escaped? Why would the guards be trying to capture her?

She picked up her pace and started to sprint down the hall way. Had he started seeing someone else while she was gone? Was this his way of breaking up with her? She had to find him, she had to explain her side, what ever her side was. Running through the halls she noticed how the servants just stared as she ran by. She knew almost all of them and she was hoping they would try and help her but none did.

She ran in to the courtyard and dashed to the duck pond. It would be her only defense, if they chose to attack her. If they wanted her out, she wasn't going to leave with out a fight. Swinging her arms around her, she called upon as much water as she could. Soaking the two guards who were originally following her, she did not notice as more guards began to join them.

She watched as the group of guards surrounded her. She fought with everything inside her, but there were just to many. Why would he do this to her? She found herself to upset to call on the water any longer. Backing up against a tree beside the pond. Putting her hands over her face, to hide the tears that threatened to come.

Two strong hands grasped her wrists. Her hands were pulled from her face, not roughly as she expected. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see the face of the man who held her hostage. Everthing was silent, all she could hear was the beating of her heart. Her wrists were pulled behind her as she was tied to the tree. Why would he have her tied to a tree? The figure in front of her moved closer.

She felt the figure lean in closer to her ear. Their breath tickled her neck and smelled like sweet cinnamon. She wanted to know so badly what they were doing, but did not want to open her eyes.

"I'll save you from the Pirates." The smooth voice whispered in her ear. Her eyes flew open as the voice played in her head. No wonder this situation was all to familiar.

There he stood, grinning happily in front of her.

"ZUKO! Let me go" She growled at him, not wanting to participate in any of his games.

"I just need you to answer one question and I will let you go" He said smiling at the gorgeous bender before him.

"Go jump in the pond, you know I hate when you do this to me" She said trying to get out of the rope that tied her to the tree

"Try to understand, I really wish to know your answer to this question." He said walked around the tree until he stood almost behind her. He fumbled in his pockets for a moment than pulled something out. Holding it up around her neck, she gazed down at the beautiful necklace in his hands.

"My mother's necklace how did you get it?" She asked confused

He chuckled a little as he walked back around to face her. She looked back down at her neck and saw she was wearing her mother's necklace, yet he still held a necklace in his hands.

With a nervous sigh he lowered himself until he was on one knee. Her eyes were open in surprise she had not expected this kind of welcome home at all.

"Katara of the water tribe, No matter how opposite we may be, I can not see myself spending one moment of my life with out you. Will you marry me?" He asked looking down at the necklace in his hands.

Her heart was in her throat, she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She had so many ways to answer that question playing in her head, some mean, some funny, some mushy, and one seemed to fit the situation just right.

"You have your guards chase me through the palace, tie me to a tree, use the old 'I'll save you from the pirates' act, get down on one knee and propose, and than expect me to jump into your arms and we live happily ever after." She yelled at him, and watched as he hung his head in shame.

"I did not mean for you to get mad" he said in a low voice standing up from his place on the ground. A guard behind her cut the rope holding her arms. She walked towards him, as he stood there with his head bowed in shame.

"You did not let me finish," She said putting a hand on his chin and making him look at her. "Because that was the most amazing way anyone could have ever proposed to me." She finished with a smile.

"Is that a Yes?" He asked with a small smile

"Yes, now give me my necklace" She said as he picked her up and spun her around a few times. After claiming her lips, he pulled the necklace back out and tied it around her neck. Looking closer at it, she noticed that the band was blue, the stone was blue and read with an insignia on it was a combination of the fire and water symbols. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

With tears in her eyes, she removed her mothers necklace, she gave it a kiss and tucked it into the pocket of her dress. She would have to find some where safe for it until she had a daughter of her own to give it to.

Together she and her fiancé walked into the palace to go tell Uncle Iroh their great news.

~~HEY THIS IS A CUTE LITTLE ONE SHOT I THOUGHT OF WHILE WATCHING A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE! HOPE YOU LIKED IT! 3