I am so proud of myself! I did it! I completed my first fanfic! If you have ever completed your first fanfic, then you know how I feel. So anyway, I have dedications, mentions, and other great stuff.
Dedicated to:
Fire Raven Girl: my biggest fan, my personal critic, and the person who gave me my start on the website. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! See you tomorrow at school.
To All of My Reviewers:
If it wasn't for you guys, I probably wouldn't have so much success. You guys encouraged me, helped me, and made me happy. Thanks to:
Sora's Girl AKA JRL, TheMagnificentMomo, .Jesus.Freak.And.Proud.Of.It., I Brake For Ghosts, Blue Jay22, Notloc, Sami, darkavatar13, Stormbender, KataraLover90, cutepuplover, JohnDoe2134, Amberhawk, purplelover, OrangeyBrisket1993, Hopeless Romantic Kitty, iwriteokstories, chiming.softly, FlipMyMood, Sukia Fire, the ark, serena carrasquillo, Zuko Rules, PychoDancingBookworm, Cutelilteen, Sarutobi61, Crazy Teen, Warrior Kameko, Fire-is-friend, Kuki, andromedacblack, pureangel86 and MoonPisces.
Last but Not Least, Thanks To:
babiangel93, BabiLatina, itachi uchiha45, 843, ephona, takh111 and kirarisoldier.
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Now here's the final chapter. Prepare for anything.
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"I'm exhausted," Sokka grumbled. The three climbed off Appa, lazily grabbing their bags and walking towards the village. It was dawn, and only a few people were already starting their day. Aang had read some more of King Bumi's letter, and he had told them to go to a large house, where his new trainer would be waiting for him.
"I think that is the house," Katara said, pointing to the largest house in the village.
"I think you're right," Aang said. He had had the most awful dream about her the night before. It had felt so real, he thought. I don't even want to think about it. When he had woken up in a cold sweat, he had vowed to be a little bit nicer to her. He figured he was making good progress, because neither he nor Katara had cried, yelled, or ignored the other since yesterday.
Now the three walked up to the house, Aang knocked on the door. A middle-aged man answered. He scanned them up and down. "May I help you?" he asked.
"We're looking for a person by the name of Kauri," Aang said.
"You must be Aang. A messenger told me that King Bumi sent you. And are these your friends?"
Aang nodded.
"Well come on in," he stepped aside to let them inside, closing the door when the three were in the house.
"I'm Keitaro," the man introduced himself. "And Kauri is my wife. I think that she is supposed to help you master earth bending."
"Yes, she is," Aang replied. "When can I meet her?" he asked, looking around the house.
Keitaro chuckled. "She's still sleeping, and will be until around eight o'clock." He looked at the trio, who were tired and only halfway paying attention to him.
"I will lead you three to the guest rooms, if you like," Keitaro offered. They stood up eagerly, gathering their bags and following him through the hallways. He stopped in front of a large room and opened it for them.
"Here you go. It has four beds and a good bathroom. Perfect for you three." He walked away so they could get settled in.
"This is nice," Katara commented, picking out the bed nearest to the window. Aang and Sokka claimed other beds for themselves.
"I'll be in the bathroom," Sokka mumbled. He disappeared, leaving the ex-couple alone.
Aang collapsed onto his bed and hid his face into the pillow. He could hear Katara opening the window. He glanced up to look at her. She was sitting on the wide windowsill, watching the village wake up and start their day. "It's such a pretty day," she whispered to no one in particular.
"It is," he agreed. She slowly turned to face him, and then turned back to the window.
"What do you want?" she asked. Aang could detect hints of anger in her voice.
"I only wanted to agree with you," he said. "I'll leave you alone." Aang turned away from her.
"I thought you hated me," she said, softening up.
Why would you think something like that? he thought before realization struck him. Because of the way I have been acting lately. "I don't hate you," he replied. "I am just upset."
"I know. You made it kind of clear," she continued. Aang sighed and sat up in bed.
"Katara, when you kissed him," Aang started, putting a sour emphasis on 'him'. "I felt so rejected. I felt like you favored Talon over me, and because of that, I broke up with you."
"But you didn't have to be so mean after that," she complained.
"You're right, but I couldn't exactly face you, so I acted in the way I thought was best at the moment. I ignored you," Aang explained. "I'm sorry if that came across as being mean," he added. Katara nodded.
"I didn't mean to cheat on you. Talon was so nice, and it was easier to open up to him," she looked down, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. "And then it just happened," she finished.
"That's all?" Aang asked, slightly confused at the thought of the kiss "just happening". It looked like a whole lot more to me.
"That's all," she answered, turning back to the window. She sighed. "Do you want to take a walk?" she asked. Aang looked at her, surprised at her offer.
"S-sure," he stuttered. They walked out the room just as Sokka came out of the bathroom. He smiled to himself.
"Being a matchmaker comes in handy sometimes."
-------------
The two walked through the narrow streets. They had been quiet for a while now, and they were just enjoying the sunny day. Katara looked over at Aang. He looks so peaceful. I am so glad that we're friends again. She had a small feeling that told her that she shouldn't rush into things, but she ignored it.
"Are you okay?" Aang asked. Katara blushed, realizing that she had been caught staring.
"I'm fine," she answered. After a few more moments she reached for his hand. He looked over at her and smiled, but he gently pulled his hand away. I won't let it get to me, I just have to wait a little longer, she told herself.
"We should head back. I'm sure that Kauri is up by now, and I should be there," Aang said, breaking the awkward silence. He turned around. Knowing there wasn't any other choice; Katara followed him back to the house. Sure enough, Kauri was awake. She, Keitaro, and Sokka were talking in the kitchen.
"Hi, I'm Aang," the monk introduced himself. Kauri shook his hand.
"And this must be your girlfriend," she assumed, looking at Katara. The ex-couple blushed while Sokka smirked in the background.
"No, I'm not," she said. At least not anymore, she silently added. "I'm just a friend. My name's Katara," she explained, shaking Kauri's hand. Both Kauri and Keitaro shot glances between the two. Katara could just hear their minds going, "Yeah right, we were young, too. You can't fool us."
"So, um, what were you guys talking about?" she asked, trying to take the focus off of her and Aang. Kauri raised her eyebrows at them but answered anyway.
"Oh, nothing. Sokka here was telling us how you guys ended up here," she told her. Katara cringed at the memories. Like I really want to relive all of that mess, she thought.
"Really," she replied, shooting a 'you better not have said anything' look to her brother. The wannabe warrior rolled his eyes. She exhaled in relief.
"Yes, he did," she continued. "And you guys are really brave to travel the world with no proper supervision." Katara blushed even more at her last statement, now realizing just how "close" she and Aang had been without supervision.
"It's been fun most of the time, though," Aang commented.
"Why only most of the time?" asked Kauri.
"Because we are always being chased-"
"By Prince Zuko," the others finished for him. Aang blinked in surprise but shrugged it off.
"It must be hard to have to fear for your life every single second," Keitaro said, joining their conversation. Way to state the obvious, Katara thought sarcastically.
"No kidding," grumbled Sokka. He was on his fourth piece of fruit. Greedy pig of a brother, she silently insulted. Katara turned her attention away from her brother and towards Kauri.
"So you're an earth bender," she said. When all four of the people looked at her with a 'so what?' expression on their faces, Katara turned crimson with embarrassment. What a lame excuse for a conversation, she scolded herself. She was grateful when Kauri spoke up.
"Yes, I am. Are you a bender?" she asked. Katara nodded.
"Water, I'm assuming," she stated. Katara nodded again.
"I've known since I was five," Katara told her. Keitaro spoke again.
"Aang, when did you figure out that you were the Avatar?" he asked. Aang glanced around the room. He's still not completely comfortable telling his story, Katara silently told them.
"Well, before I trapped myself into the iceberg, the monks told me," Aang quietly told them. Keitaro and Kauri must have understood what he was feeling.
"And I'm guessing that you were upset," Keitaro said.
"You two sure do guess a lot," Sokka mumbled.
"Chew with your mouth closed, Sokka," she scolded. Sokka glared at her but shut his mouth. Aang looked at Katara, and she understood what he was trying to tell her.
"Are you two okay?" Kauri asked.
"We're fine," Aang reassured her. "I just want her to finish the story." He sat down on a nearby stool. Katara followed his example and sat down, too.
"So then he ran away, got trapped in a storm, fell down into the water, and then would have drowned if he had not encased himself and Appa in a giant air bubble, which froze over. Sokka and I found him 100 years later, and our lives haven't been the same since," Katara explained. Kauri and Keitaro seemed startled by his story. Kauri gained her composure first.
"I only have to ask this one thing: do you ever regret leaving?" Kauri asked. Katara watched as Aang winced slightly. He answered her question anyway.
"At first, but now I'm just trying to accept it." Kauri and Keitaro seemed to understand enough. Katara let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Aang met her eyes and they held the gaze for a few moments. She saw him send her an unspoken "thank-you". She smiled in return, keeping his gaze. You don't know how much I missed those beautiful gray eyes. She felt herself getting closer and closer until…
"Oooo, Kataaaara and Aaaang sitting in a tree!K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" came Sokka's aggravating voice. Damn my brother! The two snapped out of their daze and looked around. Katara was inches away from Aang's lips, Keitaro and Kauri looked pleased, and she and Aang couldn't have been more embarrassed.
"Excuse me," Katara breathed, scampering away as fast as she could. She ran into the guest room and slammed the door behind her.
"Oh, God, what have I done? Why did I have to go and try to kiss him? Why does love have to be so complicated?" she yelled.
"I used to ask myself that same question," someone said. She gasped and turned around, then breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was only Keitaro. Oh goodness, she thought, feeling her face heat up for the fourth time that morning.
"Hi," she squeaked, sitting down on the windowsill. He chuckled and sat down on Sokka's bed.
"I knew you liked him from the time I saw you two. The chemistry was obvious," he told her. Katara forgot her embarrassment for a moment. How'd he know?
"You had the same expression on your face that Kauri had on hers when she was around me," Keitaro bragged. Katara giggled at that.
"But something's wrong with you two. It's not strong, but I can feel it," he continued. Katara glanced at him. What does he know? Something told her that she should talk to him.
"I messed things up," she said.
"What did you do?" he asked. Katara took a deep breath and sighed. It wouldn't hurt to tell him, she told herself.
"I kind of…" she hesitated for a moment.
"Go on," Keitaro urged.
"I kissed another guy," she confessed. She felt relieved on two things. It feels good to admit something like that and, she glimpsed at Keitaro, he isn't looking at me like I'm some criminal.
"I bet he was upset," he stated. No kidding.
"Yea, he told me he was after a rocky time between us. He said that he had broken up with me because he was heartbroken and that he felt rejected," Katara explained.
"This is like déjà vu all over again," Keitaro mumbled to himself.
"Please don't say that," Katara begged. "I've heard it once before and I don't want to hear it again." Last time I heard it, Aang broke up with me. And I don't really care to remember that.
Keitaro nodded, and then smiled. "Okay, I won't say it again. It's just that when Kauri and I had our first argument, she said those exact words to me, too." Katara was a little confused.
Is he psychic? How does he know that Aang said that if I never mentioned it?
Keitaro noticed her expression. "No, I'm not a psychic." He stopped to laugh at the thought. "Anyways, my best friend was a girl, kind of like how you are Aang's best friend. Her name was Jasmine and we did everything together."
She smiled at the comparison. We do do everything together, she realized. "So what happened?"
"Well, Jasmine and Kauri weren't the friendliest with each other. Kauri accused Jasmine of being a boyfriend stealer, and Jasmine thought that Kauri was a pathetic do-gooder," he continued. Katara couldn't help but laugh at that. That is so catty. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks: like Samaria and I. Ouch.
"So one day Jasmine told Kauri a "secret". Jasmine told Kauri that we were a couple, and that the only reason I didn't tell her was because I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Kauri ran to me and said these exact words: 'How could you do this to me? I thought what we had was special! I feel so heartbroken and rejected!' And then she earth bended a few rocks towards me and ran away."
Katara had doubled over from laughter. She was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of her eyes.
"I would…have done…the same thing as…Kauri!" She managed to say through her laughter. Keitaro couldn't help but join her.
"Yes, I would have, too," he said. Katara calmed down and wiped the tears away.
"Well I'm glad that you two are happy together now," she said.
"And you and Aang can be, too. Just talk to him, okay?" he gave her a hug.
"Thanks, Keitaro."
"You're…"
-------------
"…welcome," Kauri got up. Aang watched as she took a few items out of the cupboard. Maybe I should just let the past go and forgive her. He had just gone through a whole conversation with Kauri. She told me that giving her another chance would make things all better. But does it? I always thought wounds took time to heal.
"So do you like kissing her?" Kauri asked. Aang turned scarlet, from how personal the question was and how humiliating it was. Not to mention Sokka is sitting right across from me.
"Uh…" he started, stealing a glance towards Sokka, who was eating (again). He was staring intensely at Aang. What the heck.
"Yeah," he answered, purposely looking at the warrior when he said it. Sokka scowled.
"This will sound shallow," Kauri began. "But do you want to give that up?" she asked. Aang shook his head "no".
"So forgive her, and not only will you get your best friend back, you'll also get a good kisser," she told him before turning back to gathering things for lunch. He thought some more about their conversation. Aang looked up when Katara and Keitaro walked into the room. He was surprised when Katara knelt beside him.
"Do you want to take another walk?" she asked. He looked up at the older couple, who smiled at him with encouragement.
"Sure," he replied, letting Katara take his hand and lead him outside.
They walked outside. Aang found a small creek nearby. "Show me some of your earth bending," Katara requested. He nodded and made a small wall around them, then crafted to small chairs out of the earth. Katara giggled, and then sat down onto the earth chair.
"Nice," she complimented. He smiled and sat down on the chair beside her. He noticed a familiar warmth on his hand. He smiled when he noticed that they were stilling holding hands. Katara felt him staring at her. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I've missed that," he whispered.
"Me too," she said. They sat in more awkward silence, and Aang lowered part of the wall in front of them. They took off their shoes and dipped their feet into the cool water, liking the feel of the water and the gooey mud in between their toes.
"We should talk some more," Katara suggested.
"I know. Katara, I know that I've said this before, but I'm so sorry for how I treated you."
"And I'm sorry for how I treated you, but I think that we have to do more than apologize." This got Aang serious.
"Okay, well…um, what do we talk about?"
Katara shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I don't know."
"I guess we just talk about anything and everything," Aang offered. They sat in an awkward silence for a while.
"Do you want to talk about our first argument?" she asked. Aang laughed.
"It was so petty."
13Flashback31
Aang and Katara were lying down in the sand, their sides hurting from laughing too much. They had spent the hour talking, laughing, reliving memories, and just having a great time. Aang looked over at Katara. Her two braids had become undone; it was down in gorgeous caramel waves. Gosh she is gorgeous! he thought. Aang's hand reached down into her hair, gently combing it out. Katara looked up at him. She let her mind wander to when they first met (or rather, she found him in that giant ice cube). He was in her arms, and she remembered how her breath had caught when she had met his beautiful gray eyes. Those eyes; I fell for them the moment I saw them, she thought. The two sat up; Aang nervously taking her hand.
"It's such a beautiful day, Katara. I'm glad that you decided to spend some time with me," he said.
That is so sweet, she thought.
Aang started to stroke her hand. He wasn't very graceful, though. He is such an amateur. She started to giggle, not aware of the effect it was having on Aang. His mood turned from carefree and happy to confusion and frustration. He stood up, turning away from her. Why is she laughing at me? I want to make her happy, and I'm trying, and it still seems like she thinks this is funny!
"Why are you laughing at me?" he asked her, practically yelling.
What is his problem?
"What has gotten into you, Aang?" she told him, seriously wanting to know why he was acting like this all of a sudden.
Don't play dumb, Katara, Aang thought, getting a little hot.
"I try to make you happy, to enjoy this moment with you, and you laugh in my face! What is that about?" Aang yelled. With a little guilty satisfaction, he saw Katara flinch at his tone.
"I'm just laughing because you are an amateur!" she explained. Aang's face went from disbelief to anger to sadness and back again. What the hell does she mean by that? His face must have shown his thoughts, because Katara was frantically trying to explain herself.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just" Katara stuttered, but was interrupted by Aang.
"What do you mean then? Seriously, sometimes I wonder if you think this is a joke, like you don't take me seriously!" he stopped for a moment to kook at her. She was near tears, and looked like a little kid caught in the candy jar.
"Aang, please, calm down. Let me explain!" Katara choked out, crying.
"You can explain later. I need to go for a while to go after my thoughts," he whispered, walking away. Katara ran after him, grabbing his hand. Aang gently pushed her away, saying, "Please leave me alone. I need to spend a little while by myself."
Katara cried harder, looking back after him before running back to camp.
13End Flashback31
"Wow, I can't believe I got so worked up over nothing," Aang said. "I feel so bad."
"Aang, it is nothing to worry about now. Our relationship was new and I guess we just didn't know how to express our feelings."
"I think that problem still follows us today."
She sighed, knowing that he was right. Brushing the comment away, she remembered another road bump. "Do you remember the second time we were in drama?"
Aang laughed. "I was looking too far into the situation. I feel so immature right now." Katara laughed with him and recapped the time when she re-met Haru.
13Flashback31
"I see that Aang is connecting with the earth," Haru said, remembering when he had to do the same thing.
"Yea, he is." She and Haru sat down on a nearby bench. She looked around and spotted Sokka sharpening his coveted boomerang.
"So, how are things going with your brother and Aang?" Haru asked. Katara looked at him. I wonder if I should tell him about me and Aang.
"Sokka's doing great," she said. "And Aang and I are a couple now." She waited for his response. Haru turned to Aang and back again, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Really?" he asked. Katara's face darkened. Why? Is that a problem with you? she asked him silently. Haru noticed her face and was apologetic.
"Oh! I didn't mean it like that! I just thought you two would stay best friends," he said, explaining himself.
Katara softened. "Okay. And I guess a lot of people would think that." The two sat in an awkward silence, watching Aang and the king. They were now meditating. She looked over at her brother. He looks really bored. Sokka was looking at the sky, his boomerang back in its place.
"I have to go. It's dusk and my trainer won't be very happy if I get to the bunk late." Katara and Haru got up and walked outside the garden.
"Thanks for spending the afternoon with me. I had a great time," Haru said. Katara gave him a hug.
"You're welcome, Haru. Anytime," she said, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.
"Katara?" Katara looked at the person who had called her name. Aang and Sokka had seen her hug and kiss Haru.
"I thought you said that you will never hurt me!" Aang cried, running inside the palace.
"I told you to be careful!" Sokka screamed at her.
"But the kiss didn't mean anything, I swear!" Katara said, crying.
"But Aang doesn't know that." Sokka ran after Aang.
Katara turned to Haru. "Haru, I-
She was cut off because Haru had disappeared. With a heavy heart, Katara went inside the palace, expecting the worse.
13End Flashback31
"It didn't mean anything," Katara explained.
"I know that now, but back then I didn't."
And that's what led to Samaria, they both recalled.
13Flashback31
He stopped when he got outside to gather his breath. Looking around he saw a group of girls. He smiled like a devil. What better way to get my mind off of Katara: other girls. He strolled over to them. They stopped talking to each other to look at him.
"Aren't you the Avatar?" one asked. Aang looked at her. Not bad looking. She had curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had a sprinkling of freckles on her tan skin. She wore the ordinary Earth Kingdom clothes for a girl: a green and brown dress. The girl and her friends noticed that Aang was checking her out.
"Yea, I am. I'm here to learn-
"Earth bending," she finished for him. She smiled at him.
"I'm Samaria." Samaria extended her hand.
13End Flashback31
"I can't stand her," Katara declared, her voice covered in hate. Aang winced at all of the things Samaria had put them through.
"I'm sorry that she treated you that way," Aang apologized.
"It's in the past," she said.
"I know it is, but it led to so many things," Aang argued. She stopped to think this over. It had led to her capture, almost-rape, Talon, and the reason why they were in Kailur. She looked at the sky; since it was dusk it was painted in many gorgeous colors: cherry, cerulean, emerald, pink, amethyst, and gold. She then realized that Aang was waiting for an answer.
"She did cause so many bad things, but I'm more than willing to leave it all behind," she responded. Aang smiled and nodded.
"That's a really good idea," he said. They sat there quietly for a few more minutes.
"We should go," Aang said, standing up. He helped Katara up, then let go of her hand. They dried their feet and slipped their shoes back on.
"Before we go," Katara began.
"Yes?"
She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. He quickly pulled away.
"Katara, I know that we have worked some things out, but I'm not ready to kiss you like that just yet." He looked at her. I want to kiss you, but I can't just yet.
Katara was fuming. She was irritated. She felt frustrated. Above all else, she was confused. "Why can't you kiss me? We've been talking and holding hands and you let me kiss you on the cheek! What's the problem?"
Aang cringed. "I told you the problem, I-"
"I'm not ready yet. Yes I know!"
"Please calm down," he asked. They walked back to the house for a few moments before either of them spoke again.
"When will you be ready?" He heaved a sigh. She's not going to like this answer.
"When I can fully trust you again," he answered honestly.
"What? After what we just discussed you still can't trust me?" She was nearly screaming.
"I'm sorry, but I need to know for sure that I can trust you fully. I want you, I need you, and I know that you'll be there when I come back to you, but I still need some time," he explained.
Katara stared at him for one or two seconds. "Okay, I understand."
Thanks goodness, Aang thought, relieved.
"You better just hope that I really will be here when you decide to come back," she finished coolly, running ahead of him.
What does she mean? Will she really not take me back? he thought. Then he mentally slapped himself.
Of course she will take me back.
At least I hope so.
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Katara reached the house within two minutes. She ignored Kauri and Keitaro's questions and ran straight to her room. She opened up the window and sat on the windowsill, but soon decided against it. Why should I have to face him when he gets home? She climbed off of the shelf and walked into the kitchen.
"I'm going to go take a walk," she told Keitaro.
"Where's Aang?"
"He's coming," she answered. Keitaro gave her a funny look but ignored her reply.
"Here," he said, handing her a lantern. "Be quick; it's getting dark." He poked his head out of the window. "A storm might be coming, so be careful."
Katara grabbed the lantern from him and went outside, passing Aang on her way out. He gently grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side. "Can we talk?" She yanked her arm away from his grasp.
"No," she said firmly. She walked outside. She didn't care where she was going; all she wanted was to get away from Aang. I knew I should have been patient with him. Why did I have to rush into things? Why can't I just slow down? She kept thinking things like this, but soon her mood switched.
Well, he was the one leading me on! He didn't have to let me kiss him. Why did he say he wanted me back if he wouldn't kiss me? I know that is kind of selfish, but still, what about my feelings? What about what I want?
Soon she found herself in a forest. Katara kept going until she reached a small clearing. She sat down on a tree stump, moping and feeling sorry for herself. She saw a streak of lightning appear in the sky. Calculating the number of seconds between that and the thunder, she figured out that the storm Keitaro had been predicting was only three miles away. And from the looks of it, approaching fast. She stood up and looked around, but since she didn't pay any attention to her surroundings when she came, she had no way of knowing which was to go home.
Damn.
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Aang was eating dinner when the rain started. "Is Katara home yet?" he asked with worry. Keitaro shook his head.
"Don't worry about her. I'm sure that she will be home soon," he tried to reassure the monk. Aang looked doubtful, but he turned back to his meal of seafood alfredo. I hope she's okay, he thought. Not being able to eat his food any longer, he got up from the table.
"I'm going to bed early. Wake me up when she gets here." Keitaro nodded and Aang walked back to the guest room, closing the door behind him. He took off his shoes and slid into bed.
"Please get home soon, Katara," he whispered before falling into a deep sleep.
13Dream/Spirit World31
"Hello?" Aang sat up. This is weird, he thought, taking in his surroundings. He was in some kind of valley. There weren't many trees, but the lush emerald carpet beneath his feet was gorgeous and the azure sky above him had a beautiful sun shining. The grass was spotted with daisies here and there, and Aang saw a few small animals appear every now and then.
Aang walked through the valley, but the more he walked the deeper and wider the valley became. "What kind of dream is this?" he asked to no one in particular.
"It isn't a dream," said a familiar voice. Aang looked around for the voice, and fell through the transparent ghost of Avatar Roku.
"What am I doing here?" Aang asked. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, but someone you know may be," was Roku's reply.
"What do you mean?" What is he talking about?
"I am talking about that Water Tribe girl, Katara," Roku said. Aang blushed, but turned serious.
"What about her? Is she okay?"
Silence was the answer Aang received.
"Where is she?" I hope she hasn't gotten hurt.
"Not yet, but if you don't go, she will be." Aang lost all control when he said that.
"Where is she? She's caught in that storm. I knew it! I should have been nicer!"
"Calm down," Roku ordered. He waited until Aang was breathing normally again. When the air bender was, Roku continued.
"First, Katara is caught in the storm. She is lost, cold, wet, and hungry."
"Can't she just find her way back?"
"No, and for two reasons. She wasn't paying attention to her surroundings."
"What's the second reason?" Aang asked.
"It's dark out, and the storm makes it worse. Katara isn't able to see and that could make things worse if she tried to find her way back home."
Aang stared at Roku in bewilderment.
"So it's up to me to find her?" Aang asked, though the answer was more like a statement. Roku nodded.
"You can do it," he said before vanishing away. Aang sat down on the grass. What am I going to do? How am I supposed to find her?
"Use your wits and wisdom," he heard Roku say. Aang took a deep breath and nodded.
I will, he resolved. He stood up and began to walk through the valley in the way he had come from. Gradually the scenery disappeared and Aang found himself in eternal whiteness.
"Aang!" someone called out.
"Hello?"
"Aang!" it said again.
"Hello?" Aang said, confused.
"Aang, wake up!"
13End Dream/Spirit World31
"What?" Aang mumbled. He looked up to see Sokka standing over him.
"Are you okay? That was some nightmare you had," Sokka said. Aang sat up and rubbed the last bit of sleep out of his eyes.
"It wasn't a nightmare. I was in the Sprit World," Aang explained.
"What did we do now?" Sokka questioned. Aang shook his head.
"We didn't do anything. Avatar Roku told me that Katara was lost," he continued.
"What?" Sokka exclaimed in disbelief.
"She's out there, probably in the forest behind the village. Roku told me that she would be in serious trouble if I don't help her."
"Did he tell you where she was?"
Aang shook his head. "No. I'm only guessing that she's in the forest." He got up and slid his shoes on. "I'm going to go find her," he concluded.
"Aang, you have absolutely no idea where she is. How are you supposed to find her?" Sokka asked. Aang shrugged.
"I guess I'll use my wits and wisdom," he told Sokka, repeating the words Roku had said to him. Sokka followed Aang into the kitchen, where Aang told Kauri what had happened.
"I'm going, too," Sokka said. Kauri handed them lanterns.
"Be safe," she whispered, watching the two disappear into the stormy night.
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I've got to find some sort of shelter, Katara thought. She was soaking wet, shivering, and hungry. And to make matters worse, the rain is coming down harder. She shuddered harder when the wind picked up. She glared down at the lantern beside her, which had gone out an hour ago. To add to her troubles, I have no light. Katara had long since tried to feel her away around, but had gotten dirtier, scraped, bruised, and even more lost in the process. Even with the crude protection of the trees, rain and wind still reached her in great amounts.
Now Katara was sitting against a tree trunk, curling up as tight as she could. She already knew that bending the water away was a waste of energy, and it didn't do much to keep her dry. Please, someone find me, anyone. She shivered again and let out a violent cough. Please, Aang, come find me.
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"Did you hear that?" Sokka asked. Aang stopped for a moment to listen. I could have sworn I heard someone.
"I think we're getting closer," Aang replied. Sokka shielded the flames in the lantern as they walked. He almost tripped over Aang when the avatar stopped suddenly.
"How am I supposed to find her?" Aang groaned. He sat down on one of the many tree stumps.
"Oh, I don't know. How about you use your wits and wisdom," Sokka mocked. Aang looked up at him.
"I'm serious. How am I going to find her if I have no idea where she is?" Aang asked Sokka. The warrior sat down beside him, grimacing as he slid slightly through the mud. Still shielding the flames, he answered the monk.
"Look, I'm only going to tell you this once, so pay attention. Katara needs your help. She is counting on you. You are her only hope. Now is not the time to doubt your abilities. Now is not the time to mope. You are going to rescue her."
Aang gazed up at Sokka, his eyes wide. He could barely make out Sokka's grave expression, but he knew it was there. Still, Aang had more things to get out of his system before they kept searching.
"Sokka, all she wanted is for us to get back together. All she wanted was to have me back."
"But you were too stubborn," Sokka finished for him. Aang nodded.
"I kept telling her that I wasn't ready. I kept telling her that I had to think things through, but I guess now that I think about it, I think I was-"
"Scared?" Sokka asked. Aang nodded.
"Look Aang, I'm telling you this both as another guy and as a brother. When it comes to girls, it's all or nothing. You need to know what you want. If you keep her waiting, she just might move on."
"She told me that if I kept her waiting she would leave me for good. She also told me that I should stop leading her on if I don't know what I want," Aang confirmed.
"See? She told you the same thing I am," Sokka said.
"So I should take a risk?" I don't know what I should do.
"Exactly. If you really love her the way you say you do, then you will." Sokka stood up, and tried in vain to wipe the mud off of his pants. Aang stood up, too.
"I'm ready."
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Katara couldn't feel anymore. She couldn't see. She was getting sicker by the minute. Every time the rain would speed up or every time the wind would become stronger, she found herself coughing. She even vomited up the small apple she had found in her pocket.
Katara thought that she was hallucinating. She was almost asleep when she heard voices. "Help," she croaked out.
"Shhh," a recognizable voice said. She obeyed and felt herself get picked up.
"I don't feel good," she mumbled, before she fell into a deep sleep.
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"Uhhhh," she mumbled.
"Don't move," she heard Kauri's comforting voice say. Katara opened her eyes to see herself back in the guest room.
How did I get here? she asked herself.
"Those two boys brought you here. You're lucky you aren't in a more serious condition," she said. Like being dead, she silently added.
"What happened?"
"They told me and Keitaro that you were almost asleep. They told us that you were covered in cuts, bruises, and mud, and that you were coughing."
Aang.
She sighed in relief when a cool, damp cloth was pressed against her forehead. "May I please have something to eat?" she asked Kauri.
"Sure, honey, I'll be right back." Kauri left and Katara sat up, and then felt a shooting pain charge through her left arm as she did.
"Keitaro said that you broke your arm," Aang explained. She glanced over at him, only noticing now that he was in the room.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"What about me?" complained Sokka. She looked to her left to find Sokka sitting on his bead.
"Thank you, too," she told him. He pouted. Aang got up to sit on her bed.
"How are you feeling?" His answer was a cough from her. "Oh."
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
"I think I will just leave now," Sokka said, passing Kauri on his way out of the room. Katara smiled at the bowl of chicken noodle soup on the tray in front of her.
"I'll leave you two alone," she said, then closed the door when she exited.
"Don't apologize to me. It was my fault for leading you on. You were right to be mad at me," he began.
"So are you saying that we should go back to only being best friends?" she asked as she took in a big mouthful of soup. She swallowed.
"Do you?" she asked. "It's okay; I'll be able to handle it." Not really but I'll manage somehow. Her heart sped up when he planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
"Not at all, Katara," he told her. She smiled at him.
"Really?"
"Yes," was his answer. "Can we just promise ourselves one thing?"
She looked up at him. What does he want us to promise? She soon got her answer.
"Let's promise ourselves that we won't hurt each other again. Let's promise ourselves that we won't let ourselves get so caught up that we can't think," he suggested.
"Let's promise ourselves that we will always know what we want," she finished. They gazed into each other's eyes.
"I promise."
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"Good morning. Do you feel better?" Aang asked Katara the next morning. She nodded.
"A lot better, thank you," she replied.
"Are you well enough to take a walk?"
She glanced down at her bandaged arm, the wrapping stiff with some kind of solution he had soaked it in. Her arm was still painful, but the medication that Keitaro had given her was dulling the ache really well. He never did tell us that he was a doctor. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just give me a minute to get dressed. He nodded and left the room, shutting the door to give her privacy. She climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom, washing herself. After getting dressed in a spare outfit, she poked her head out the window again. Today's going to be a good one, she told herself.
She went over to the door and opened it. "I'm ready," she told him. He took her right hand and told the older couple that they were going out. Kauri and Keitaro beamed at the two benders as they walked outside.
They walked in silence for a while, back to the small creek that they had discovered the first day they were here. One again, Aang made two small earth chairs. One more time, they took off their shoes so that they could dip their toes in the clear water. Yet again, they held hands.
"Just between the two of us," Katara said. "I always knew that you couldn't stay away from me for too long." Aang laughed.
"You flatter yourself too much," he joked. "But seriously, I can't." They smiled and stared deeply into each other's eyes.
"Those blue eyes are so gorgeous," he whispered. She giggled.
"And those gray eyes that you have are beautiful," Katara returned. They smiled, and then leaned into a fiery, passionate kiss. Aang lowered the chairs until they were sitting on the bare ground. They lied down, pressing themselves into each other, he being careful not to hurt her arm. Aang let his hands wander up and down her sides, her front, and her back. Katara traced his arrows and rested her hands against his rear end.
"Mmmm," she groaned, letting his tongue enter his mouth. He shifted so that he was partially on top of her. They put all of their passion and love into that one kiss. He deepened it. She wrapped her good arm around his neck, while her other fingers traced his face.
Pulling apart for air, they grinned at each other. They gasped but kept their position. Aang planted more kisses on her neck and face.
"I love you," Katara said. He looked down at her, both their eyes filled with so much adoration for the other.
"I love you, too," he said.
And I always will.
THE END
I hope you guys enjoyed the story. Review please, all of you. And wait for the sequel!
Luv ya all,
DayDream11, firebender
"For better or worse
Through thick and thin,
She's the light
That shines within."
Author Unknown