Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender, its characters and universe belong to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Nickelodeon. I'm only a fan, writing this for love of this TV show and personal pleasure.

Summary: Feeling down after the play, Aang has a talk with his Firebending Master and gains some much needed perspective. Afterwards, he wants to set things right with Katara so that he may concentrate on his fight against the Fire Lord. Set right after The Ember Island Players.

A.N.: I'd originally intended for this to be a one-shot, but the story was becoming too long so I decided to split it into chapters, with this one covering what happens with Aang and Katara.

Push and Pull

Chapter Two: Soothing Water

Aang laid on his bed in one of the guest bedrooms of Zuko's family's summer house on Ember Island, one hand under his head and the other thrown across his bare stomach, as he was only wearing his pants to sleep, as usual. He'd been tossing and turning for a while now, ever since he'd come up after the conversation he'd had with his firebending Master out in the courtyard following their impromptu firebending practice. He'd intended on sleeping and seeing how he'd feel come the light of a new day, however sleep was eluding him. He sat up, folding his legs in the lotus position and placing his hands over his knees as he tried meditating to clear his mind, but even though he'd worked out considerably with Zuko earlier he still felt his body was full of nervous energy.

As meditating wasn't working and he felt it was a waste of time to just roll around in bed, Aang got up to his feet and decided to take a walk down to the beach. He silently made his way through the sleeping household, thinking back on the conversation he'd had with Zuko earlier that night.

Ever since Zuko had shown up wanting to join them and teach the Avatar firebending Aang had been pleasantly surprised by getting to know his firebending Master and new friend. He was glad they had come around and let the Fire Nation Prince join them; from the very start Aang had felt his and Zuko's destinies were entwined. At first, it seemed it was so because it was the banished Prince's mission to capture the Avatar. But during that incident when Aang had found out that the Blue Spirit was actually Zuko he'd had that feeling that they should've been friends, not enemies. It took some time, but now they were in the right path. And he was glad that Zuko was not only teaching him firebending, but also helping him deal with other things.

The more he thought about it, the more Aang realized how much of a mess he'd made with Katara. For starters, he'd never actually confessed his feelings for her, he'd just kissed her and gone on his way to fight the Fire Lord. He'd thought the kiss was enough, and he'd been glad when she kissed him back, but maybe he should've used words instead of imposing himself on her. That was definitely what he should have done tonight instead of kissing her again (like an idiot) just when she'd said she was confused about the two of them. What had he been thinking?

And what Zuko had told him was also weighing down in his mind now. If Katara was afraid of losing him in the war, it would make sense that she'd be confused about being with him. He hadn't realized how much she'd been affected when Azula had shot him down in Ba Sing Se. He had vague recollections of waking up in her arms, her blue eyes shining brightly as copious tears had coursed down her face and a relieved smile had come upon her lips. They hadn't really talked about how that had made her feel, he'd only thought she was so amazing for being able to bring him back and how lucky he was to have her with him.

Aang needed to make things right. Katara could barely look at him anymore and he couldn't let things remain like this. Come morning he'd find her and talk to her, really talk to her and apologize to her for being such an idiot. He wanted to confess what he felt for her without asking for a response from her. He just wanted her to know the truth and that it was okay if she was confused, because he was going to really focus on what he needed to do to get ready and face the Fire Lord to end the war. And then they could talk after he came back.

He was going to come back. He had to.

He'd been so focused on these thoughts, looking up at the starlit sky, his feet carrying him lightly down towards the beach that he suddenly stopped short when he finally looked at the ocean. The sight that greeted his eyes was not one he was expecting, for standing waist-deep in the gentle waves was Katara.

She had on the light blue undergarments she usually wore when they'd practice waterbending, her hair was loose and she had her eyes closed as she moved with the ocean as if they were one and the same, the just waning full moon standing up in the background. With a graceful arc of her arms she commanded the waters, as a stream flowed in the air towards her hands, gathering in a huge, spinning sphere above her head. Another movement of her arms and a swish of her hips later and the water sphere was dispersing, falling all around her as crystalline shards of snowflakes that melted instantly as they came in contact with the warmer ocean waters. She repeated these movements a few times, almost like a dance, and just as the snowflakes were raining down on her once more she opened her eyes and looked right at him.

"Aang," Katara gasped, coming to a sudden halt in her movements, one of her hands pressing against her heart and her blue eyes going wide, the water sphere exploding out in a shower of brilliant snowflakes above and all around her.

Aang realized he was staring, but for a moment longer he couldn't stop himself. She looked so beautiful and mesmerizing, and he'd felt spellbound, unable to move, think or even breathe as he had simply stood and watched her entrancing movements, the water moving around her at her slightest command. "Wow," he rasped out, realizing he was actually out of breath (he, an Airbender, out of breath!) and trying to gather his wits about himself. "That was amazing."

"Thanks," she smiled a little self-consciously, running her hands through her hair as a light blush colored her cheeks. She remained where she stood, swaying gently with the motions of the ocean that had returned to its natural rhythm now that she'd stopped her bending. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," he said, running one hand on the back of his neck as he came up to the water, but he stopped short of letting his feet touch it as he stood instead on the wet sand. For some reason if he came any closer it'd feel like he was invading her space, and he wanted to be very careful with that.

"Yeah, me neither," she said, her smile becoming a little crooked as she shrugged after a moment, her hands tracing lazy paths on the surface of the swaying water around her. "I think it's still too close to the full moon, I could almost feel it calling to me. I just felt like I needed to be near the water."

"Ah, that makes sense," Aang commented, nodding his head in agreement. For a moment he wondered if that was also the reason why he hadn't been able to fall asleep and for the nervous energy he felt running through his body. He felt considerably better now that he was at the beach, but he couldn't tell if that was because he was by the water or because he was talking to Katara. He didn't want things to go awkward again, so he kept on talking. "Don't let me stop you from what you were doing; you seemed really into it."

"I was just playing around," she said, once more shrugging her shoulders casually.

"I mean it, that was incredible," he said, a smile lighting up in his face. "Master Pakku would be really proud. You became an amazing Waterbender Master!"

His words seemed to have the opposite effect on her than what he'd hoped for, as her smile slid off her face and she said, "I'm not so sure about that."

"Why?" Aang found himself frowning at her across the water.

"I…" Katara said, the rest of her words seeming to die in her throat, her blue eyes glistening over with pain and sadness. She averted his eyes, turning her body away a little, wrapping her arms protectively around herself.

"Katara? What is it?" Any hesitation of approaching her he might have felt disappeared as soon as he saw the pained look in her eyes, and Aang stepped resolutely forward, using some bending so that in instants he was also waist-deep in the water, standing before her.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but kept her body angled away from him. He noticed this and her hesitation and a pained look crossed his face. "Look, I'm sorry," he breathed out, and at his words she turned back to face him, blinking her eyes at him. "I know I made a mess out of things between us, but you need to know I never wanted to cause you any pain. You're my best friend and I hate that you can't even look at me right now." His eyes darted downwards, his voice weighed down with sorrow.

"Wait, Aang," she said, frowning a little at him. "It's not what you think. This isn't about…" She trailed off, not knowing exactly which words to use to refer to their current situation. "I mean, I couldn't look at you because I didn't want to see you being disappointed in me."

"You could never disappoint me," he said, looking back at her and smiling a little sadly. "I'm the one who's being a complete idiot about everything. I feel like I've let you down."

"No, Aang, you don't understand," she tried again, shaking her head slightly. "This isn't about us. I've━There's something I didn't tell you. When Zuko and I went after my mother's killer, I did something…"

"What?" He asked, keeping his face neutral as he searched her eyes. If this wasn't about the weirdness between them because of their earlier conversation about the two of them but something about her mother's killer, then he wanted to be there for her, like she'd always been there for him. She bit down on her lower lip and still hesitated, so he quietly reached out and grabbed her hands in his, and said, "Katara, whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that. I'm not going to judge you or stop being your friend, no matter what you do."

"I used bloodbending," she breathed out, speaking it out loud before she lost her nerve, her eyes looking down from his and going towards their hands. She almost instinctively wanted to let go, but he felt that and gripped her hands a little tighter in his, and she felt reassured by the gesture, continuing to tell him what had happened, though she still avoided his eyes. "When we found the current leader of the Southern Raiders and I'd thought he was the one who killed my mother and I was finally going to face him, I just… I was filled with so much rage, and I could feel him. I could feel the full moon and the pulse of the ocean and the blood flowing through his veins and I…" She shook her head, tears coursing down her face, but the words kept pouring out of her, as she needed to get this off her chest. "I felt so entitled, like I had all the power over him and that I could do whatever I wanted, like it was my right to do that. And it turned out he wasn't even the one who killed my mom. Then I felt so wrong and dirty and disgusted with myself. I had said I'd never use bloodbending again, yet at the first opportunity I could, I just gave in to the urge and I reached in and violated someone else." Her lips were trembling as she finished saying it.

"Oh Katara," Aang said softly as she finally took a breath after all the words had rushed out of her. "I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You were so glad that I spared my mother's killer, I didn't want you to be disappointed in me for doing something so horrible," she said with a helpless shrug, still more tears running down her face.

"Okay, stop," he said with a smile, squeezing her hands in his and she looked up into his grey eyes. "I meant what I said: You could never disappoint me. The fact that you're so full of remorse shows you deeply regret your actions. We're not perfect, because we're human so we're bound to make mistakes, especially when we're taken over by negative and powerful emotions like rage. But mistakes are how we grow and learn and become better. Now you need to find the strength within, which I know you have, to forgive yourself and move on."

"I don't know if I can, Aang," she confessed, speaking softly as if she were afraid of the very words. "I feel like I'm tainted now, like I'm no longer just a Waterbender, but that I'll be defined as a Bloodbender, and I hate that."

"I know, but you need to let go of that hate, too," Aang said, and Katara tilted her head at him with a somewhat confused frown. "The monks had a saying: 'Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love'. Self-hate is also a form of hate, and one of the worst. Please try to treat yourself as if you would a friend; love and forgive yourself. You're so good, Katara. One mistake is not going to change who you are. I know that."

"How can you be so sure?" She found herself asking this, despite herself, with some doubt in her voice.

"Because I know you," he said simply, smiling at her.

Katara couldn't help but roll her eyes a little at him, even though a smile was also forming on her lips. "I think you might be a bit biased."

"Maybe I am," Aang conceded readily, still with a smile. "But I've also been a witness to how great you are. You're the girl who got herself arrested and into a Fire Nation prison just so she could help break out a friend. You wouldn't let pirates or a backwards, sexist tradition keep you from learning waterbending because you wanted to know how to fight to protect the ones you love. You'd never turn your back on people who need you, even going so far as to trick your friends just so you could secretly help out an entire village. And you've always been there for me, calming me down and bringing me back from the Avatar state when I'd lose myself and almost destroy everything in a fit of rage."

As she heard his candidly spoken words, Katara could only stare at him, her lips slightly parted in wonder. It was one of those moments when his old soul and wisdom would simply shine through, when he no longer looked like that goofy and at times insecure kid. He seemed older and so mature, and she would get a glimpse of the man he'd grow up to be. She wondered if it was because he was an Air Nomad or because he was the Avatar or if it was entirely unrelated and just Aang being Aang.

"So you see, I know a lot about losing control, making mistakes and having regrets," he continued, looking down with embarrassment for a moment, but he quickly looked back up into her eyes. "You can always talk to me, about anything. If you let me, I'll listen and try to help you in any way I can, as you always did that for me."

Katara then moved suddenly, dropping his hands and throwing her arms around him with a quiet sob, closing her eyes and laying her head on his shoulder. Aang widened his eyes a little at this, but his arms quickly encircled her form, hugging her close to him and smiling into her hair. They just stood like this for a while, locked in each other's arms with the just waning moon shining down on them, the gentle sway of the waves swirling around them as they felt the push and pull of the ocean.

"Thank you," she said quietly into his ear, and felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine at this. "Thank you for being here for me, for saying all of that and for being my best friend."

Aang just nodded silently at her and she pulled back slightly, pressing their foreheads together for a moment and then she opened her brilliant blue eyes and looked into his bright grey ones. "Hum at the risk of ruining this totally great moment between us," he said, pulling back even further, though his arms remained encircling her waist, and giving her a crooked smile. "I do still need to properly apologize for what happened earlier. I'm sorry, Katara, for pushing you and for kissing you when you said you were confused."

"It's okay, Aang," she said as she smiled gently back at him, her cheeks tainted a light pink. "I understand what you were trying to do."

"It was still so wrong of me to do that," he insisted, a very serious look on his face now. "And you were right, you know. We are in the middle of a war and I need to focus and do everything I can to prepare to face Ozai."

"We all do," she nodded in agreement back at him, glad he'd understood what she'd told him. "I'm not going anywhere, I'll be here and I'll help you all the way through."

"I know," he grinned back at her. "You've been with me from the very start, helping me through so much already. And I need to tell you…"

"Aang," she said, some hesitation and a bit of a warning in her voice, a delicate frown forming between her eyebrows.

"I'm going to come back," he said, a very serious and focused look in his eyes as he stared intently into hers. "I'm going to face Ozai and I'll come back from the battle. And then we can talk about us and everything else. So you don't need to worry about that."

Katara felt her breath hitching in her throat. "You promise?" She whispered the question at him, almost afraid to ask him that.

"I promise," Aang smiled reassuringly at her. "I love you, you know." He said, catching her completely off guard with his almost-casual confession, just the barest of blushes coloring his cheeks. "I've always loved you, from the moment you got me out of the ice and I woke up in your arms. It just took me long enough to realize that. And you don't need to tell me anything in return, I'm not asking you to be with me right now or anything. I just wanted you to know."

"Aang," she breathed out his name, feeling a bit breathless at his words. She was glad he still had his arms around her and that they were surrounded by her element, both giving her frame some sort of support, as she actually felt a bit dizzy and weak in the knees.

"It's okay, Katara," he replied with a smile and the same quiet reassurance as before. "I've waited a hundred years for you, I think I can wait a while longer."

"Wow." She blinked up her eyes at him. For a few moments she just opened and closed her lips but no sounds came out.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked her, but he was looking at her with amusement gleaming in his grey eyes.

"I think I'm speechless," she finally choked out, laughter in her voice as she lightly shook her head. "You managed to make the girl with all the speeches speechless."

"I know. That was pretty smooth, huh?" He grinned at her, waggling his eyebrows up and feeling rather proud of himself.

"It really was," she laughed back at him, her blue eyes sparkling in delight.

"I was surprised I managed to pull it off and didn't ruin it by saying the wrong words or something," he confessed with a laughter of his own, one of his hands going up to scratch at the back of his head. "I usually just end up putting my foot in my mouth."

"Well, no foot in your mouth this time," Katara assured him, her laughter subsiding to a gentle smile, but her eyes were still sparkling at him. "Aang, I━"

"I meant it when I said you didn't need to say anything," he said hurriedly, interrupting whatever it was that she was going to say. "I don't want you to say it back if you're not sure."

"I am sure," she countered quickly. "I don't want you to think that I'm not or that I don't, I just…" She trailed off, biting her lip and her eyes sliding off of his, looking down as she tried to come up with the words to explain everything she wanted to tell him.

"You're just scared, right?" He finished the thought for her, smiling a bit sadly but also in understanding, and she looked back into his eyes. "Believe me, I get it. I'm scared, too. But you know what scares me the most? The thought of losing you, my best friend."

"Then you have nothing to be scared of, because you're never gonna lose me. I'll always be your best friend," Katara replied softly, her voice full of promise.

"Good, because that's the person I need the most right now. I wouldn't be able to do this without you," Aang said. "I need you as the constant calm by my side, my waterbending Master, the voice of reason, tearful hopeful speeches and all." He finished with a teasing grin and playful raise of the eyebrows.

"Okay, then you got me," Katara assured him with a grin of her own, leaning forward and placing a teasing, tender kiss on his cheek, growing delighted as she retreated and saw his face become bright red. Honestly, she'd never get tired of having this effect on him. As he rubbed a hand embarrassedly at the back of his head, she removed her arms from around him and said, "And since you mentioned it and we're already here, how about some waterbending practice? I don't want you getting rusty just because Zuko is getting all your time these days."

"You're on," he replied right away, narrowing his eyes playfully at her and taking a few steps back, already adopting a defensive stance. The next moment, he dodged quickly as she bent a well-aimed attack at him with a swift movement of her arms.

They spent some time practicing, though truthfully their serious waterbending session quickly morphed into just playful waterbending splashing in the water and spending time together, enjoying each other's company. Soon they grew tired and sleepy, but instead of going back up to the house, they just fell asleep in each other's arms on the sand. Feeling the warmth of Katara's body next to him, Aang knew he still had a lot of challenges to face up ahead, but now he felt calmer and reassured that he'd find a way, somehow.

A.N.: Okay, so this did not go where I'd expected, yet I love so much how it turned out. I originally intended for an apologetic, contrite Aang and understanding Katara. I may be projecting a little (or a lot), but I feel like Aang shows the best of him when he stops worrying about his own problems and insecurities and instead just tries to be there for his friends when they're troubled. I had been focusing a lot on Katara's feelings with my stories, so it felt nice to get inside Aang's head. A vulnerable Katara and a supportive Aang seemed like the right way to go to fix the situation between them, and it also bothered me that they never showed her talking to anyone about her bloodbending in The Southern Raiders. I think what I love the most about them is that they're friends before anything else, and I tried to show that here. I'd love to know your thoughts on this!