The cool air of the Southern Water Tribe washed over me, and I breathed it in. "So, are you going to tell me why we're here?" I asked, focusing my sights on my boyfriend. 

Aang smiled when replied. "You'll see."

I grumbled to myself but couldn't bring myself to be mad at him. He seemed very excited, so that sent my heart racing. Whatever he's doing has to be amazing. Aang gently led Appa down to the village. My breath got caught in my throat. We haven't been here in a while, since before we settled down in Cranefish Town, and it seemed to have gotten bigger than the last time we were here. Malina and Dad were waiting for us, a bird perched on his shoulder. "Did you tell them we were coming?"

"Maybe." Appa landed and Aang hurriedly hopped off, running to the side I was on. He stuck his hand out and I took it even though I knew how to get off of Appa. He kept my hand in his as we walked over to my dad and his girlfriend. Aang bowed to them and said, "It's nice to see you guys again."

I threw my arms around my Dad's neck and he let out a rough laugh. "I missed you too, Katara."

"Before you say anything, yes, I know Sokka and I should visit more," I said in his ear. "But we've been really busy."

"I understand," Dad said, pulling away from the hug. He looked me over once and sighed. "My little girl is growing up."

"I'm not little anymore."

"You don't have to remind me." He cracked a grin, though. I turned toward Malina and politely bowed to her. She gave me a small smile, brushing a piece of her straw colored hair out of her eyes. 

"Malina," I said, stepping toward her. "I wanted to say sorry for how I treated you the last time we were here. I was way out of line when you were nothing but nice to me."

"You don't have to apologize," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her furs shifted slightly and a gasp left my lips. Malina didn't notice because she said, "I know how much you loved your mom."

My eyes glanced over at Dad, and he gave me a small smile. "Dad," I said quietly. "Is that what I think it is?" He nodded softly. At first, I was a little upset but when I glanced over at Aang, my face broke out into a smile. Dad should have the chance at a another relationship, and if I was upset with it, then why should I deserve Aang? I hugged my dad for a second time that day, the smile never leaving my face. 

"What's going on?" Aang asked from behind me. Malina murmured something to him so I let go of my dad. 

"I'm so happy for you," I said. "I mean it."

"Thanks," he said, the glow behind his eyes never fading. I hadn't seen that in a while. Not at least since Mom was alive. "I mean it, too."

Someone tapped my shoulder so I turned around. Malina looked apprehensive but I pulled her into a hug. "Welcome to the family," I whispered to her. 

She didn't say anything back. The hug wasn't as long as mine with Dad but it was a step in the right direction. "You better invite us to the wedding," Aang said and I looked over at him. He was worriedly wringing his hands so I let out a laugh. 

"Are you afraid that they won't invite us?" I asked him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I'm sure they wouldn't forget us, sweetie."

He gave me a quick smile but he still looked worried. That was weird. "It was nice seeing you two," Aang said. He raised his eyebrows and Dad and Malina had matching grins on their faces. "Again, congratulations to the two of you."

"Have fun!" Malina said happily. 

"But not too much fun," Dad said, causing me to frown. 

"So, you did tell them what you were doing," I said, crossing my arms over my chest as we walked away from them. "What's so important that you can't tell me?"

"It's a secret," Aang said, pulling me closer to his side. "But it's a good one."

"I don't like it when you keep things from me, sweetie."

"I know, sweetie." He planted a kiss on the side of my head and said, "But it was necessary." I snorted but didn't say anything else. If he was going to keep a secret from me, then so be it. "Sweetie, don't be mad."

"I'm not mad."

"Yes, you are."

Aang pulled me to a stop and turned me so I'd be facing him. "Aang, I'm not mad."

Aang laughed, shaking his head. "I know you better than that." I looked down at my booted feet. "Katara, please trust me."

"I know I'm probably being overdramatic about this," I said, shrugging, "but I don't like keeping secrets from each other. We're nearly adults. What happens when you keep a secret from me when we are?"

"This is not how I planned it to go," Aang muttered, placing a finger below my chip. He tugged it up so I was staring in his eyes. "I had a whole plan on what to do today, and you're ruining it."

"What are we going to do?" I felt bad slightly as he sighed. 

"You mean what were we going to do?" I nodded. "We were going to go penguin sledding, have a picnic, and then I was going to give you a gift."

"Oh," I said, blushing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Aang. I just - I don't like secrets."

"I know," he said, placing the other hand on my cheek. He smiled and said, "I should've known you'd act like this."

"I don't know how you're so understanding."

"I have to be," he said, laughing. His eyes lit up when he said, "It's in my job description."

I let out a laugh and pressed my lips to his quickly. "Let's go penguin sledding, sweetie."

His hands dropped to his sides and his worried expression came back. "I was thinking about giving you your gift now."

"Is that why you're acting all worried?"

"Oh, man, I thought I was handling it well," Aang said, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red. He grabbed both of my hands in his. "Katara, you know I love you." I frowned and was about to say something but he shushed me. "No talking, please. Sokka, Zuko, Toph, and Suki helped me with this speech and I want to say it."

"Sokka helped you with it?" I asked anyway. "And Toph? And Zuko? I'm not surprised about the Suki part, but everyone else? This must be important."

"It is," he said, laughing. "Now, back to the speech. I think I've loved you since the day we first met. You getting me out of the iceberg was destiny, and I was glad it was you and Sokka that found me that day. If that didn't happen, I wouldn't have found my best friends. You guys are my family and that will never change." He smiled while letting go of one of my hands. He stuffed it in pocket and pulled out a small necklace. "Katara, sweetie, I'll love you until my last breath. No, scratch that. I'll love you until the world ends. You are the one for me, and I hope I'm the one for you." 

I brought my hand up to my mouth, tears pricking my eyes. "Are you proposing to me?"

"Actually," Aang said, chuckling nervously, "I'm giving you a promise necklace. We're still pretty young but I know I want to spend my life with you. I promise to love you forever, and that is what this necklace is for. I promise."

Aang showed me the necklace and I said, "Aang, that was perfect. This necklace is perfect."

He let out a sigh of relief and said, "I was afraid you wouldn't like it. I'm not the greatest when it comes to carving things."

"Neither is Sokka," I said, turning around. His fingers brushed my neck and just the action of him tying the necklace sent a shiver down my spine. "You are the best boyfriend in the world."

"You are the best girlfriend in the world," Aang said when I turned around. I noticed my other necklace in his hands and he asked, "What do you want done with this?"

"I'm going to keep it," I said, grabbing ahold of it. I smiled down at it before putting it away in a pocket. "Now, do you want to go penguin sledding with me?"

"Of course."