Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

A/N: Wow, it has been way too long since I've done anything for this story. I've seen your demands and I don't want to leave this story unfinished, so I am going to do my best to wrap it up nicely for you guys. Hope you guys enjoy. :)

The Boy in the Zoot Suit

Chapter 10

Two months dragged achingly by with no sign of Aang. Katara's mind was swimming in confusion. It's as if the man that had swept her off her feet had just vanished. Police were hot on the case, pictures of him were plastered on every newspaper Katara's company published, and he was on the homepage of their website, and yet, like a dog chasing its tail, they were still getting nowhere.

When Aang crashed into her life, it was turned upside down in the best way possible and rationality flew out the window. Now, with him gone, nothing feels right, and no matter how damn hard she tries to push those negative depressing thoughts aside—thoughts like, is he okay? Is he even alive?—she can't because living hurts. It hurts because everything she does is a painful reminder of Aang.

Katara decided early this morning that it was going to be a pajama all day kind of day where she just chilled and put those incessant her worries on the back burner. She pulled her knees up to chest and wrapped her arms around them as she stared at a blank black TV screen.

So far this whole take it easy worries on the back burner Saturday idea was not working.

Just as another heart throbbing thought of Aang entered her mind, the doorbell ringed. She let out a frustrated sigh and ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it all up in a messy ponytail to make it somewhat presentable.

Anyone dumb enough to ring her doorbell at seven thirty in the morning on a Saturday would just have to deal with this side of her.

Sulkily she got up from the couch, straightening her pajamas as she made her way to the door. When she opened it, her blood froze.

There, standing in all his glory, was Aang. His skin smooth and pale as the day he vanished, slight stubble on his face, and those eyes, those grey eyes luring her in and trapping her.

"Hello, Katara," he said solemnly. The smile on his face was forced and didn't reach his eyes. He looked warn out like every breath pained him.

"Aang?" Katara whispered, her brows furrowing as she looked up and down at the ghost in front of her. She wanted to touch him, but fear gripped her body and left her immobile. "Is it… is it really you?"

Aang didn't respond. He stared back, the smile dropping from his face, his eyes imploring Katara's. And somehow, Katara just knew. She knew it was the man she'd spent many sleepless nights worrying about for the past two months. She reached out, her fingers grazing his cheek, and when she felt it, felt actual skin and slight stubble, her mouth dropped open and she blinked up at him. Once. Twice. And then she broke down.

Her whole body started shaking. She wheezed, no longer able to breathe. Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and spilled over, running hotly down her cheeks. "Aang," she gasped out, her fingers pulling at his shirt. "Aang."

Aang grabbed Katara and dragged her into the tightest embrace possible, Katara returned it tenfold like she was drowning and he was only her only life raft. For a long while they stayed like that, Aang's face buried in Katara's hair and Katara's face buried in Aang's chest, just enjoying each other's warmth and neither of them wanting to ever let go.

Katara's sobbing quieted and her shaking slowly stopped. Questions flooded her mind but she was too tired to voice them. At the moment, Aang was back, and that was all that mattered. "I... I've missed you." Katara said, her voice sounding muffled in his chest and her eyes squeezed shut. "So much."

Aang didn't say anything. He nodded and squeezed her back tighter, reveling in the smell of her hair. Katara pulled away from the hug, grabbing both of his hands because she couldn't stop touching him right now. "Please," she said, tugging on his hands, tears dripped onto the top of her black Superman logo pajama shirt, "come in."

Her eyes were red-rimmed as she gazed at him, and a single tear tracked it's way down her cheek. Aang leaned in and brushed it away with a calloused finger. A look of defeat washed over his face. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply, and opened them. "I… I wish I could, Katara, but I-I can't. I… I have to go." Katara was too shocked to respond and Aang took this as his chance to continue. He dropped her hands, took a step back, and swallowed thickly. "You don't know me Katara." Silence. "There are… things I haven't explained to you in full. Things about me, about my past that are… not good. I've done some really messed up shit and … and all I can tell you right now is that I… I'm doing this for your own good." Silence. Aang dropped his head in shame. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm sorry for everything I've put you through."

Katara didn't say anything. Minutes passed by in silence, but the way she was staring at Aang slowly changed. Her gaze hardened and it shook Aang to the very bone. "Two months," she said quietly, brokenly. "It's been two months since I… since I've seen you and you're just gonna—" She shook her head angrily in disbelief. "—just gonna fucking run off, without a proper explanation or even telling me where you've been these past fucking months? You really don't give a shit about me, do you?"

"No that's not…" Aang frowned hard, shocked by Katara's language, and shook his head. Emotion glimmered in his eyes. "You know I care about you Katara." Katara scoffed and crossed her arms like yeah, right. "That's why I'm leaving. Because I care about you and I want to protect you."

"Protect me?" Katara chuckled humorlessly. "Protect me from what? Huh Aang? Protect me from wha?"

Aang sighed, dropping his head and staring at the hallway's eggshell carpeted floor. "You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me!" Katara exclaimed, throwing her hands up out of frustration. Her voice softened. "Aang, look at me." Aang hesitated, his eyes darting around the carpet. "Please," she begged, and he did as asked. She smiled her thanks and took a deep breath. "I… when you… left, I was a wreck," she confessed, her sore eyes looking at something over his shoulder. "And every day you were gone felt like hell. I can't just let you walk out of my life again without knowing why—"

"I'm the Avatar," Aang cut in.

Katara frowned, her eyes searching his face. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. "What?"

"I shouldn't be telling you this but…" Aang lowered his voice, glancing around the hallway to make sure there were no prying ears. "I am the Avatar, and your life is in danger with me around." Katara's eyes bulged out of her head. "I'm doing this for your own good. Lord Ozai adopted me into his family, he's on my back, and I don't want you to get hurt because of me. I have to do this Katara, because I would never forgive myself if I let something happen to you because of my selfish desire to want to be with you."

Katara raised a hand up as if to say Whoa, wait a minute. "You're the Avatar, and you work for…" She stepped closer and hissed, "Ozai?"

"Yes but not by choice," Aang sheepishly defended.

"What the hell, Aang? You're the Avatar?"

"Yes."

"And you work for Ozai?"

"By force, yes."

Aang could see the workings of a plan igniting in Katara's eyes. "Prove it."