Rose and Zuko had fallen asleep again after holding each other for awhile.
   But Rose woke up to the sounds of Roku speaking to her, much too loudly to allow her proper rest. She shot up in bed at his insistence and gazed around the room.
   After Zuko had passed out following his revelation during the battle with the Earth Kingdom, Rose had brought him to Iroh's home in Ba Sing Se. (Iroh had decided to live there and had reconquered his tea shop following the war.)
   It felt nice to be in that familiar place, somewhere where she held such a fond memory...that of when she and Zuko had originally been soul bound.
   Rose turned to her lover and future husband, stroking across his face before moving some hair out of his face. "I'll be right back, love."
   She aetherbended, landing on the roof of Iroh's house. Sitting down Indian style, she began meditating. Before long, she felt the familiar presence of Roku, sitting across from her.
   "I'm not like you, Roku." she said by way of greeting.
   "Rose, you are me."
   Rose shook her head. "We are nothing alike." She stood and paced atop the roof, thinking. "You go behind my back and ask Aang, my friend, my brother, to kill Zuko because I won't do it? Your own great grandson and my soulmate?"
   "It needed to be done." he said, cryptically.
   "No." Rose shook her head. "You brought us together in the first place. You were the one who shared your story with us both and you insisted that our bond was important. Now you ask that I stand by and allow you to sever it?"
   Roku growled in frustration. "For the sake of the world, Rose! I hoped your bond would make him correct the sins of the past. But I was wrong. He endangers the fate of the world. And, if you can't end him, someone else must."
   Rose lowered her gaze to focus on her footing. "When you told me to contemplate the world, what did you expect me to picture in my mind? A map? Some floating ball of cosmic energy?
   "You know what I actually did see? I saw my family: my father, Ryker, my mother, Ophelia, my brothers, William and Jasper, my sister in Caitlyn. I saw Aang and Appa and Crystal. I saw Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Aurora, my friends and my family. I saw the Kyoshi Warriors, the members of the White Lotus, the witches that are a part of Aurora's family, the monks that raised me and Aang, the people who loved me when I was young like Starling.
   "But, most importantly, I saw Zuko. I saw that bond we shared. I saw a future for us, one where we married, we had children together. You brought us together for better or worse and it was your presence that Zuko originally felt connected to. It wasn't me or my flirty personality although those things did eventually cause him to realize his feelings for me.
    "I don't know how to contemplate the world without first thinking of the people I care about. Especially Zuko. Do you know what I realized when he told me his story? I realized he has never been a bad guy; he's always just been broken. His father was cruel to him, all because he spoke up against him. It was that brokenness I felt when I looked at his face the day we met, when I saw his scar.
   "The day Zhao captured me and Zuko saved me, I was scared because I realized I fell in love with him. And not for myself, for him because I knew he had a hard road ahead of him. But he surprised me. He did the right thing in the end and I know, somewhere deep in my heart, he will always choose the right thing...because he will always choose me. Just as I will always choose him above everything."
   "Even the world?" Roku questioned. "By choosing not to take decisive action, you continue to put the world at risk."
   She finally turned to him. "It's a different world now, Roku. Maybe killing Sozin would've been the correct path for you in the past but allowing Zuko to die isn't my destiny. Whether you agree or not, I make my own destiny. Aurora taught me that."
   Her gaze lowered again as she bowed in respect. "Avatar Roku, you taught me so much. I couldn't have become the Avatar I am today without you nor could I have found my soulmate in Zuko. But everything's so different now. It's not like when you were alive. I have to figure this out on my own. That aside, my mother always told me that every aetherbender is meant to find their soulmate one day and I found mine. And I'm not giving up my happy ending for anything...even you. Goodbye."
   Roku disappeared, begging for Rose to come to her senses. "Goodbye." she said again. Taking a deep breath, she aetherbended back to Zuko's side.
   He stirred as she ran her fingers through his hair again. "Mmm...Rose?" he questioned, turning his face and opening his eyes to look at her. "Where'd you go?"
   "I had to say goodbye to an old friend." At his confused expression, she added, "Roku. He disapproves of my decision to stop Aang from killing you."
   "Oh."
   Zuko sat up, rubbing his head. "How long was I out?"
   "Not long. A few hours."
   She moved closer to him and he ran a hand over her cheek, caressing her face before leaning in and kissing her.
   "So, Zuko, I was thinking." Rose said when they parted. Zuko's eyes widened in worry. "You trusted me with the worst time of your life. I was thinking...I should share my side of the story."
   Zuko let out a sigh of relief. "What do you mean "your side of the story"?"
   "I'm going to tell you about the worst time of my life...when I became the Avatar."
   Zuko's eyes widened in shock. "But...you said..."
   "I know. But, at the time, finding out I was the Avatar was the worst thing that could've possibly happened to me." She sighed. "So here's what happened."
                      * * * * *
   More than a hundred years ago...
   A fifteen year old Rosalia woke with the sun shining through the window. Her leisurely smile turned to one of celebration.
   Today was the celebration festival of Centurion Spiritus, a festival that happened only once every hundred years when the spirits of the dead would mingle with the living.
   Quickly, Rose jumped out of bed in time for her ladies maid to enter the room. "Good morning, milady."
   "Good morning, Starling." Rose excitedly greeted her favorite maid.
   Starling began dressing Rose in a fancy white and blue dress that flowed to the ground, puffy sleeves that covered her arms. Rose's hair was left down but styled in a simple plait around her head and down the middle. A long gold cape was pinned to the back of the dress.

    Rose checked herself in the mirror when Starling was done. She thought a moment, feeling like something was missing. Then she pulled out a crystal on a chain, the first one that Crystal, her baby dragon, had shed after their bonding.
   "Ah, of course."
   Starling fixed it around Rose's neck and the pair laughed as they headed out to the celebration.
   The celebration was already underway by the time they arrived and Rose had been announced. She wasted no time rushing to greet long dead family.
   It was in the middle of this happy celebration when the Council arrived. They were a group of five powerful casters, each able to use a different form of magic.
   At the back, a dark haired woman had the power to control dark magic and was a firebender on top of that. The man at the back was a swordmaster, a caster that could create multiple types of swords. One woman on the side of the head man was blond with stunning heterochromia eyes. She was a shapeshifter that could turn into many animal forms. The other woman had dull brown hair and the deepest blue eyes ever seen. She could heal any injury and occasionally raise the dead. And the old man at the front of the group, the leader, was a powerful sorcerer with the most ancient magic known to man. His powers weren't even fully known.
   King Ryker, knowing the Council only visited in times of grave importance, silenced the celebrations. Standing from his golden throne, Ryker approached the group.
   "Lord Amos, Lady Galena, Lady Fiadh, Lord Saxon, and Lady Kiera, you honor us with your presence." He bowed in respect. "Council, what brings you to us in the middle of a glorious celebration?"
   "Our apologies, sire." said the leader, Lord Amos. "But we have come to reveal the identity of the Avatar." Suddenly, the old man pointed a finger....straight at Rose. "Princess Rosalia, Avatar Rose, it is an honor."
    The Council bowed to Rose who looked at them in confusion. Ophelia stood from her golden throne and ran forward. "There has to be some mistake! My daughter cannot be the Avatar. She is a child, only 15 years old, and has never shown any sign--"
   After the initial shock wore off, King Ryker asked, "How do you know she is the Avatar?"
   "We have discussed it at length, tested her multiple times, and consulted Avatar Roku himself. It is confirmed, sire, she is the Avatar, Roku's heir."
   "Normally, we would've waited until you were of age. But we do not have the time. War is coming and we need you, young one."
   Rose looked around the Aether Realm, surprised when everyone fell to their faces before her, even her own family.
   She sighed. "What must I do?"
                      * * * * *
   Rose sighed. "The Council told me to pack, to prepare for the journey to the Southern Air Temple where I would choose my Guardian and begin my airbending training."
   She looked to Zuko. "My mother had a point, though, I was only 15 years old, not very well trained in aetherbending yet although I was a prodigy like my mother, and had never been outside the palace walls, save for visiting the Spirit Tree."
   Zuko nodded. "That must've been so hard, leaving everything you've ever known." He wanted to be sympathetic to what she had been through.
   He pulled her into a comforting embrace. Rose cuddled closer to him, offering a gentle kiss to the column of his throat. Zuko watched her, gazing into those rainbow orbs he loved so much.
   "So..." He began, trying to figure out how to gently ask her to continue. "What made you chose Aang?"
   Rose giggled. "You are so not subtle, my love. Luckily for you, I want to tell you everything like you did for me. Ok, so I was escorted to the Southern Air Temple by the Council..."
                        * * * * *
   At the gate, the Council said their goodbyes, wishing the Avatar good luck. Rose stood before the gates for only a moment before they were opened, revealing an old monk.
   "Welcome, Avatar. I am Monk Gyatso."
   Monk Gyatso bowed to Rose with a smile. Rose bowed back.
   "No, no, Avatar. It is I that should bow to you. Not only are you the world's only hope but you are of a royal bloodline."
   "But you are a master and I was taught to always bow to a master."
   Monk Gyatso's smile widened. "Very good, respectful, well-mannered, and well taught."
   He gestured for her to follow him inside the gates. Rose did and entered  after him. Monk Gyatso led Rose through a courtyard. A bunch of airbender children were playing a game. Rose stopped to watch and one of the kids turned and waved at her.
   Rose waved back.
   Monk Gyatso then gestured. "Why don't you get acquainted with our trainees? After all, one may become your Guardian. I will come for you tonight."
   "Thank you, Master." Rose said, bowing low.
   "You're welcome." Monk Gyatso bowed as well then stood and left.
   Rose turned back to the kids and went to introduce herself. The kid who waved to her walked over. "Hi."
   "Hi. You're a girl? I've never seen a girl before."
   Rose couldn't help it. She laughed. The boy looked confused. "I'm sorry. I just...wasn't expecting that answer."
  The boy laughed too. "I'm Aang."
  "I'm Rose. It's nice to meet you, Aang."
   "You're the Avatar, right?"
   Rose concentrated and opened a portal. Reaching inside, she pulled out her father's sword, his gift to her before she left.
   "That's cool." Aang said. "But can ya do this?"
   He created a ball of air and sat on it, using it as a scooter.
   "That's so cool! Who taught you that?"
   Aang laughed. "No one taught me. It's something I made up."
   "I wish I knew how to do something like that. I haven't learned airbending yet, though."
   "No worries. I can teach you a few things."
   Rose smiled. "Ok then, Sifu Aang, if you think you can teach me."
   Aang laughed. "Only if you can learn, oh Pupil Rose."
   With that, Aang began teaching the older girl what he could.
                         * * * * *
   Zuko smiled. "Sounds like you two bonded really quickly."
   "We did." Rose said, smiling at the memory. "We were close before anyone even knew it. That night, I met the rest of the monks and they tested me."
   "Tested how?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow.
   Rose settled in front of Zuko, tucking her legs and sitting in between his legs. "They wanted to make sure I was really the Avatar."
                       * * * * *
   The monks sat in their seats, watching Rose closely. "I am sorry about this." Monk Gyatso said.
   "But not all of us are completely certain you are who we've waited all these years for." another monk, a sour looking old man, added.
   Monk Gyatso airbended a bag down to Rose who caught it, diving into a roll, coming up with it in her hand. She opened the bag, revealing five toys.
   "Each of these is meant to test a certain element. If you are truly the Avatar, you can make all of them work...regardless on if you have learned the elements or not."
   Rose frowned, thinking. She sent a silent prayer to the gods that she would pass this test then she took hold of the first toy. The first toy was a doll that, after a quick glance, she could tell was possessed. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the element of aether. Aetherbending, she pulled the spirit out of the doll.
   She pulled out the second toy, a kind of top that didn't spin. Concentrating her energy on the element of air, she airbended, making the top spin across the room. Then came the third toy, a turtle squirter. Concentrating on the element of water, she waterbended, causing water to spew from the toy.
   At this point, Rose relaxed a bit, pulling out the fourth toy. This one was a ball that did not bounce. Rose meditated, reaching for the element of earth. Quickly, she earthbended, causing the ball to bounce along multiple small rises in the ground.
   Finally, came the last, a hoop. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on the element of fire and firebended, causing the hoop to alight.
   At the end of her test, the monks clapped, none so much as Monk Gyatso.
   "Wonderful work, Avatar!" They bowed, including the sour old man. "Now, on to the next thing. Because you are underage, you will be placed under our care and because you are the Avatar, you will choose a Guardian when you are ready."
   "I have already made my choice." Rose said, standing up to her full height. "All of you, save Monk Gyatso doubted me as the Avatar. I would not be here for any other reason. So, for me to stay, I choose Aang as my Guardian if he would have me, and I demand to be under the care of Monk Gyatso. Otherwise, I'll head to a different air temple. Thank you for your time."
   She bowed and left.
                           * * * * *
   Zuko smirked. "Seems I'm not the only prideful one in this relationship."
   Rose giggled. "I was a princess after all. I had to learn something from all those years in the Aether Realm. Besides, I was angry. I had been taken from my home and sent somewhere I'd never known only to be tested by a bunch of old fuddy duddies who didn't have any faith in who I was."
   Zuko burst out laughing.
   "It took awhile for me to learn the things I have: how to be patient, how to keep myself composed, how to be respectful towards my elders, and more. Even now, I still find myself angry when people question me or threaten those I care for."
   Zuko held Rose close to him. "You are a wonderful person, y'know. You deserve the world you take care of." His eyes were filled with love for her. "Remember when we went to the Boiling Rock and what I told Sokka?"
   Rose thought for a moment. "You worried that I wouldn't be safe?"
   "You care about everything before yourself, your family, your friends, me. I worried that one day I'd lose you forever. That's what my nightmare was about."
   Rose ran her fingers along Zuko's scar, comforting him. "I'm not going anywhere. Nothing in this world or the next will ever come between us again. I promise." She sighed. "Would you like me to finish the story now?"
   "Later." Zuko said, his voice taking on a husky quality as desperation shone in his eyes. "First there's something I need you to do for me. If you promise you'll stay with me always--"
   "Always." Rose promised.
   "Then do me one favor."
   "Anything."
   "Marry me...right now."