So, here it is. The final chapter. There's not going to be a sequel, but I am going to rewrite the earlier chapters so that they don't stink as much. Look for that… whenever? And this chapter is the one that's been sitting in my head for three years. Enjoy, and thanks for reading all these years!

Chapter 11: True Love

The Spirit Guardian floated out from the safety of her attendants, and placed her wrinkled hand on Katara's forehead. She closed her eyes and cast her head down. "This Spirit's work is not finished." The guardian said ritualistically. "Let her return to her body so that she may continue to help those on Earth with her talents."

Aang cheered as soon as the spirit guardian was finished speaking. Katara smirked, even though she too had closed her eyes. The spirit guardian slowly removed her hand from Katara's forehead, and Katara began to glow bright blue. She gasped, and gazed at her newly luminescent form.

Down on Earth, Sokka and Toph gasped as the sheet covering Katara's body blew off in an unusual gust of wind, revealing a body glowing the same hue. The two ran to the still form.

"Did they do it?!" asked Toph, for she could sense the spiritual vibrations coming from the body.

"I don't know!" Sokka half-yelled.

Back on the Spirit Cloud, The Guardian frowned. "Something is wrong. The glowing usually only lasts a few seconds, so that her body can heal enough to function again."

"What could be wrong?!" Aang yelled, running to Katara's side.

The Guardian squinted her eyes in thought. "This usually only happens when the Spirit has unfinished business in this plane."

Katara's eyes widened. She knew exactly what she had to do.

"Aang, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Aang blinked. "Uh, sure." She put her glowing hand on his shoulder, and gently led him aside.

Once she was sure they were out of the earshot of the spirits, Katara sighed nervously, and took Aang's hands in hers. "Aang, I-" she stopped herself short. She still didn't know what words to use. "We've been friends for a long time now, and-"

"Katara, are you okay?"

She sighed again. "No. I don't know how to say this, but I'm going to be stuck here glowing until I do, so… Aang, I- I think- wait, I know- I'm in love with you."

Aang gasped. "Really?!"

Katara blushed, and smirked. "Yeah, funny stuff right?"

"Not really. I feel the same way about you." He blushed.

She widened her eyes, and looked straight at him. "You do?"

"I've been trying to tell you ever since we got here."

"So have I."

"Wait- was I the guy that we were talking about back in the forest?"

"Kind of."

"Wow."

The Spirit Guardian smiled widely, and clapped her hands once.

With that, Katara and Aang vanished, still holding each other's hands, still looking into each other's eyes, having finally revealed their deepest secret- their feelings for each other.

Yue walked to the Guardian's side. "You're giving them the scenic route home, aren't you?"

The Guardian smiled, gazing at the spot where Aang and Katara's spirits once stood. "Of course."

Katara and Aang's spirits zoomed up through the hole designed for the Airbenders, and out into the cold waters of the South Pole. It didn't stop there. The pure spirits breached the water and zipped across the physical world, to the two waiting bodies at the Serpent's Pass.

As the whole world flew by them in a blur, Katara and Aang looks to the physical eye liked fluxuating balls of light blue light, but to each other's eye, they were in normal form, only partially see-through. They grabbed onto each other to steady themselves in the warp-like speed they were traveling at. At the same time, they glanced at each other, and suddenly their faces were an inch apart. Then, Aang closed his eyes and filled the space between their lips, while his hands slipped to her waist. Katara was quick to respond, roping her hands around his neck, peacefully closing her eyes. They were locked in the kiss, so close that anyone seeing the spirits fly past them would've thought it was only one spirit making its way back home.

It only took a few minutes for the spirits to reach their bodies, but to the lovers, it was a few minutes too short. Aang was just about to detach his lips from hers, and let his mouth make its way to her neck when the shapes of pure light reached their destination.

Aang opened his eyes in a flash, realizing that he was once again in his solid form, sitting in a meditation position on the edge of the cliff. He flexed his hands out of their fists, and let his palms rest on his cross-legged knees with a loud sigh.

Toph heard him, and came running over, Sokka not far behind. "Twinkle Toes!" she called.

"Aang, were you able to bring back Katara?" Sokka yelled, stopping at his side.

"I thought I had," Aang said, looking up at Sokka with a worried look in his eyes.

All at once, the three friends turned to look at Katara, who still lay deathly still. "Come on, Sugar Queen. Wake up." Toph begged.

Nothing happened.

Aang turned away sadly. "It's no use. Her spirit must've gotten lost somewhere along the way back." He looked down at his feet. Had he done something wrong by kissing her? Was it his fault?

Then, out of the silence of the early morning, someone groaned.

"Katara!" shouted Sokka, running to his stirring sister.

"Sugar Queen, you're back!" Toph yelled, following him.

Aang slowly got up and walked over to Katara, brimming with quiet joy. He made his way in between Sokka and Toph, who were already looming over her.

Katara smirked, exhausted. "Hey guys." Her eyes met Aang's, and she blushed bright red. Aang returned his blush with one of his own.

In a sudden burst of energy, Katara stood up with a start and tackled Aang, knocking him into a small tide pool behind Sokka and Toph. Katara looked into Aang's eyes below hers with a gaping mouth, and kissed him, her suddenly wet hair sticking to his cheeks. Aang pulled away, and kissed her again. Katara did the same. They followed that pattern several times- pull away, kiss again, pull away, kiss again, each time their lips fumbling to meet each other. Sokka and Toph stood watching in awkward silence.

At long last, the lovers pulled away and kissed again. The sun had risen, and was beginning to streak down through the clouds, making Katara and Aang's water-soaked bodies glisten, along with the water that they had landed in.

"Well, it's about time!" Toph teased. "Always wondered when you two lovebirds would make things official." She added, crossing her arms. Aang and Katara looked at her, still locked in each other's arms with sheepish grins on their face.

Sokka snickered. "So, when's the wedding?" he teased, until a small pebble hit him in the face, Earthbended out of the ground, courtesy of Toph.

That day, the four friends sat and talked. Aang and Katara told them the story of how they'd gone on a quest to get Katara back, leaving out the romantic parts. Those would stay between the two as a secret. And as the sun left the sky that night, the lovers lay on Appa together, kissing and hugging, lost in each other's arms once again.

The End.

Thank you guys SO much for your support and kind reviews all this time. I never would've continued this story without it. I hope you thought this chapter was a fitting end. Please keep up with my Warriors work (you think the sequel's going to be the last TTOT installment? Hahahaha! XD) and keep watch for more Kataang stories, coming soon!

Thank you, live long and prosper, and (Water Tribe).

-Rosepelt