1Okay I first and foremost would like to apologize for as long as this has taken... I agree that if I were a reader for this story I'd be completely ticked that it wasn't updated and just forget about it lol. But I do want to finish the story. For my sake, if anything. So on we go. This might be the end. Might not. What can I say, im indecisive. :-P

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Katara's blue orbs gazed at the ceiling of her hospital room, as if pleading with it for answers to questions she deemed too difficult to understand. White sheets covered most of her body, wrinkled from the unnerving and troubled sleep that consumed her for days. Her soft, brown hair was a mess, out of its braid and tickling her with a blanket of waves. Her body was covered in bandages and bruises, and in short, it pained even to breathe at times.

She sighed. Staring upwards, she thought to herself. Maybe playing everything back in her mind would help.

She was still fourteen... still just a child, barely a young adult. There was that fight with Zuko that had obviously been the cause of all this pain. She only remembered parts of it- when she stood up to Zuko, when Aang came to help her, and when she saw nothing but a bright flash and felt nothing but fire on her tanned skin. She heard Aang's scream, and everything went black... Until she found herself in this crazed dream that seemed all too real to be fake.

But that's all it was... all it could have been... a crazed dream, right? There was no way that actually happened, because here she was, now, in the present and not even fifteen years of age. She couldn't possibly have been seventeen, created more than a friendship with Aang, and then died in Aang's arms in anything more than a dream, right?

She brought up a weak arm to touch her lips softly, as if it could help her answer her questions.

But it all had felt so real, like the water on her fingertips as she bended, the damp grass in the rain as Aang lay lifeless, and the kiss that seemed to last forever and take her to the skies. She could still see the lush landscapes of the battlefield... the blood of Azula tinting the ground red in the rain...

She brought her arm back down to rest beside her. Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she found herself no further to finding the answers than before.

It couldn't have been just a dream...

Biting her bottom lip, she lay still as a soft wind blew in from the open window of her room. The air was fresh, smelling of trees and grass, with a slight hint of water. That scent always calmed her, it seemed to bring her peace of mind in times of distress. It reminded her of her mother, too.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. She sat up abruptly, causing a not-so-great feeling just about everywhere. Her brown tresses fell forward with her as she gasped, and her hands clenched at the sheets on her bed.

Small beads of sweat formed on her forehead as creases of realization formed. She looked down, almost mumbling to herself and the sheets fallen at her waist.

'What if... what if... " she began, fumbling over her worlds.

"That whole thing... it... it wasn't... just a dream..."

Her body grew immensely tense and still, as she held in her breath as her mind moved a million miles an hour, figuring out exactly what she was saying.

Looking up slowly, she whispered, "the future..."

Her eyes widened as did this new realization, flooding in possibilities and above all, an answer. Maybe it was the future, a chunk of her life just thrown at her while she was practically in a coma after the fight.

That would explain why everything seemed so real, so detailed, so... possible.

But part of it didn't make any sense. The future couldn't possibly be set in stone when the present is still being created, could it?

She shivered, the visions of her and Aang's death coming to mind.

She sure hoped not.

Looking to her side, she saw a beam of sunlight come in from the window, hitting the floor and lending the room warmth and light. She smiled lightly at the light, moving her gaze to the open window. She saw the branches of trees swaying in the gentle breeze, and the flecks of sunlight peering in through the many leaves and bark of the trees. The breeze whistled softly, and birds chirped endlessly as if calling her to come and welcome the outside air.

Looking back to herself, she realized she was in no condition to just get up and start walking off. Her legs were cut up and bruised, and they pounded with every beat of her heart. She sighed, looking around her bed to see if here was anything that could help her in this situation.

That's it! Water! A bowl of the cool, calming liquid sit next to her bed atop a night stand.

Relieved, she moved her hand atop the bowl, summoning the water to cover her soft, dark hands. The element fit to her hand like a glove, and glowed with warmth as she used it over her body. She covered every inch of herself, starting at the legs, slowly healing all her wounds with every ounce of power she could summon. Slowly the cuts and burns disappeared from her fair skin, making it look healthy and new. She wouldn't be able to fix the fact her body wasn't used to walking again. She'd have to do that on her own.

Taking off her bandages and putting on the rest of her clothing, (which was taken off to bandage the wounds), she began to work on her hair. Feeling better after initially healing herself, she moved more freely and with ease. Her fingers and hands moved easily to the intricate patterns in her braid, and lastly she left the two strands of hair to loop from the front and connect to the braid in the back. Using some water to freshen up her face, she felt content and slipped outside the room.

Upon opening the door, she squinted and the blast of light that greeted her and she stood, letting her eyes adjust to the light. She put a hand up to her face to help, and after a few seconds she realized she was in the middle of a small farming village. There couldn't have been more than ten shacks around. There were crude, dirt paths built in between the shacks and tall, narrow trees every few feet. A few people walked by every so often, and bowed politely upon seeing her.

Bowing back, she saw Sokka walking up one of the paths toward her. Catching sight of her, his face lit up and he quickened his pace to get to her. When he approached her, he hugged her tightly, tearing up slightly and happy she was alright.

"I'm glad to see you up. How are you feeling?" He asked, holding her shoulders.

She looked up to him and smiled. "How do you think? I just healed myself. It's not like I could be feeling too bad after that."

Chuckling, Sokka gave his little sister another hug and a playful push. "You really gave us a scare there, Katara."

"I know, " she replied, "I'm sorry. But I'm alright now so it's not so bad!"

Looking away, Sokka spoke a little quieter. "You should tell that to Aang. He's been a nervous wreck with you like you were."

Her smile fell quickly, and she looked to the ground, and talked more serious this time. "I know. He looked pretty bad when he came in to see me... Where is he now?"

"I don't know. " he said, "He's been doing this for days. He just disappears and comes back whenever. I've tried to find him, but its impossible. It's not like I can fly or anything."

At this, she chuckled. "It's okay." Looking away, toward the trees, she spoke again. "I think I know where he is, anyways."

Looking to his sister, he gave her a serious look in her eyes. "Just listen though. You really need to talk with him. I think if he ever sees Zuko again, he really will kill him."

She gave him a look, raising her eyebrow as if to question 'He actually escaped?'

Sokka answered with a nod. "Yeah, barely. The trees gave him good cover. But Aang sure as hell did a number on him. There was blood everywhere."

Katara fidgeted uncomfortably. Aang didn't deal that great with stress when it came to her. If she was involved in any way and she was hurt... there would always be hell soon to ensue. She knew how upset he was, and also knew it was just from worry for her well-being. Knowing Aang, he probably blamed himself for the whole thing. She knew this wasn't true, and would have to deal with helping him through this.

"Okay, got it." She answered, looking him in the eyes. "I'll be back soon, don't follow. I'll find my way back.

Sokka's look softened as he looked to her. "Alright, just be careful, for me, okay?"

She waved him off, already walking towards the trees to her right."Don't worry so much." She called back, already disappearing through the trees.

"Easy for you to say! Miss-I-almost-died!! Jeeze!" He yelled back, frazzled from her smart-alack attitude.

Hmph. He pouted, walking off into the village to see if he could get any food for later. They were especially low on meat.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Katara looked above into the treetops as she walked through the small forest. Birds chattered happily as they soared through the branches and leaves, whisking through the air with ease. Sunlight penetrated through the trees and scattered the forest floor, giving everything around a warm glow as she walked. Inhaling, she took a deep breath of the forest air, feeling the moisture in it growing.

'I'm getting closer...'

Her footsteps crunched as she walked along, stepping on fallen leaves and small twigs. She knew he would be around water. He was like her in that way, it calmed her and helped put her at ease. And in his state, that's probably the one thing he needed most.

Her mind went back when he came into her room to see her. His hands were bloody, and his knuckles stuck out from the constant beating she had no doubt he had given himself. It pained her to see him like that. He felt guilty for what had happened. But why?

She knew the answer to that. He feels it's his responsibility to ensure her safety. What he doesn't realize is that she joined him knowing there would be sacrifice. She knew rough times would come, but it never stopped her from giving it her all.

Her attention intensified as she began to hear water in the distance. Cool, sweet water was rushing through an embedment in the ground. A river. She could hear it splashing slightly against the rocks near the riverbed and she walked just a little faster to get there.

Walking out of the forest and into a more open terrain, a full bright sun greeted her, along with a large, splashing river and dense green grass. Slick rocks shined in the sunlight and beamed at her. And a boy, his back to her, faced the river, his back taut with tension and fists clenched st his sides.

And a fresh, red liquid dripped from the edges of his fists, tinting the fresh, green grass red with blood.

What was it he was searching for? Forgiveness? She thought to herself as she looked toward him. Proof that he was capable of bearing with pain? Or are the questions he has about himself?

Quietly she walked toward the boy, his bald head and missing shirt showing the intricate tattoos along his body. His eyes were closed, probably in frustration. Creases showed themselves on his forehead and his jaw looked set. His whole appearance was unlike the boy she knew. He practically radiated discontent.

Tearing up slightly at her friends stance, she inched closer to him, as if hoping to break down a wall he's been building up from everyone else. She could feel the air heat up with tension, and finally, she just took a big step forward and hugged the boy from behind, grasping onto his chest and burying her face in his neck. Tears came down her face as she closed her eyes in sadness for him.

Immediately, the boy jumped slightly and then loosened up, relaxing at her presence. He could feel her shaking, holding onto him like he were a lifeline. He then felt the warm, salty liquid from her eyes hit his shoulder, and he looked down sadly, wrapping his arms atop her own.

He exhaled her name, "Katara..."

She just held tighter to him, pleading his soul to let her in. She buried her face into his neck and stayed there, unwilling to move until she was sure he would speak.

Aang thought of the older girl that was now holding onto him. He continued looking down, wishing words could come to him at such a time. She meant everything to him. This whole ordeal nearly killed both of them. He couldn't protect her, and it resulted in her near-death state. He didn't want to live with that hanging on his shoulders, so he beat himself up for it. Maybe some of the blood he spilled could be made up for the health he owed to her.

He rubbed her arm softly, whispering her name and allowing the rest of the tension leave his body. Just having her around made it so much easier to calm down. Normally, he'd be freaking out at the close proximity they were at, but at this moment it was probably the one thing he needed most. He grabbed her hands with his and squeezed them lightly, silently thanking her for being around.

He almost didn't notice the water that rose up from the river and came toward them, hovering over their hands and fitting them like a glove. The moisture around his hands became warm, and he felt his hands beginning to heal and the blood begin to wash away.

"You need to stop."

Katara's soft hands encased his once more, as if protecting them. She spoke almost into his shoulder, near his ear.

"It's over now."

He leaned his head back, leaning into her slightly and looked toward the sky above them and sighed. His gray orbs looked blankly upwards as if lost in thought. He held onto her tighter, and spoke quietly and sincerely.

"I almost lost you, Katara." He closed his eyes. "You almost left this life behind. I have no idea... what I would've done..."

She rose her face a little from his shoulder and looked at his face. He looked to be in turmoil.

"And you will never have to know what you would've done. I'm alright, Aang." She spoke to him softly.

He let her words sink in, and he stood up more. He lifted her arms from his chest and turned to face her, still holding onto her. He saw how much better she looked, thanks to her bending no doubt, and looked into those pools of blue that captivated him from day one.

"I was..." He began, looking down and seeming troubled, "I was scared..."

He looked up to meet her gaze again and felt tears prick at his eyes. Her beautiful face looked truly concerned for him, her brows creased and mouth in a slight pout. That face could've died because of him...

"I was so scared of losing you Katara." His voice wavered as tears ran down his face. Quickly, she raised her hand to wipe the tears away as he looked to her sadly.

"Please, don't worry anymore." She said, "I'm just glad that you are alright, Aang."

She caught him by surprise with that. She was worried about him? But why? He looked down, as if unworthy for the kind things she had just said to him. Suddenly, he reached forward and hugged her, pulling her close to him and putting his face atop her shoulder.

She wrapped her arms around him as well, holding him close, relieved he was letting her in.

He whispered to her softly, looking forward as he spoke. "I don't deserve you Katara."

Her hold on him tightened as she too began to tear up once again at his words. She just held him for a moment, thinking of what to say next.

"And I- you Aang." She began, "You have no idea what I'd do without you..."

Closing his eyes, he nuzzled into her and let more tears escape.

And minutes passed as the two held each other there, taking in their feelings and accepting them. The breeze swept by them, teasing Katara's hair and Aang's loose leggings.

Slowly, Aang pulled from her and looked her in the eyes. Both of them were a little teary eyed from before. They had reached a new level in their friendship, and it showed.

"Katara, I understand... if you don't want to-" He began, but was interrupted.

"I wouldn't leave your side for anything, Aang." She answered, already reading his thoughts.

He smiled, grabbing her hands and squeezing them. "And I won't let you." He added playfully. "I would do absolutely anything for you, Katara."

She looked into his eyes and smiled back, until something from the back of her mind came to her. She tensed a little bit, seeming just slightly worried at her thoughts. This went unnoticed by Aang.

He brought his face closer to hers, and spoke again. "I mean it, anything."

She gleamed at him, and replied "Me too Aang." Her heart fluttered at how close they were now, but paid it no mind.

Suddenly, his face got serious and he looked her straight in the eyes. She could tell he wanted to tell her something important, so she looked to him expectantly.

A few rain clouds in the distance had made their way above the pair in the past minuets, bringing with them a cool air full of moisture. It began to drizzle lightly on the pair as Aang got ready to say what he was about to say.

"Katara, you're my hope. I rely on you to keep me going when things get tough. You've always come through for me, no-matter what has gotten in the way. You even risk your life every day to be with me!" He spoke, letting the sincerity show in his voice. "I promise Katara, I will be wherever you are, always... even..." He slowed, faltering slightly before he continued.

Katara's heart had to be beating a million miles an hour. Mostly because of the butterflies in her stomach. But something in the back of her mind kept giving her this feeling... This gut feeling that something wasn't right...

Sweet droplets of rain tickled her face as she waited for him to continue.

"Listen, Katara..." He continued, raising their hands together and getting closer , "I... I think... I can't live without you."

The thunder cackled above them.

The rain continued to fall lightly.

Katara's eyes grew wide in realization, and her heart skipped a beat.

-flashback-

He spoke quietly. 'I won't live without you…'

The young man began to close his eyes, making sure the last thing he saw was her face. The thunder roared loudly as he gave his life to join her. He had once said he would never leave her. Now it was time to prove it.

-end flashback-

That gut-wrenching feeling of deja-vu didn't leave her as she tilted her head toward his, and let her soft, full lips come to his. She wanted him to know how much those words meant to her. They went past anything of this world, they went past death. Those words meant more than life.

Surprised by her forwardness, Aang blushed and kissed her back, softening his grip on her hands and feeling his knees go slightly weak. It was just a simple peck, but it meant the world. He still held her hands as he looked back at her.

"Things are gunna change, wont they?" He asked her softly, looking deeply into her eyes.

She smiled, her orbs shining in the rain. "Yeah, I think they are, Aang. But first," She began, her face changing from carefree to serious and worried and getting a raised eyebrow from him in question.

"First, I need to tell you about this dream I had..."

Thunder cackled triumphantly above the two as they set off back toward the village, hand in hand.

One with a good understanding of what was to come, and one who had no idea what they had just promised to do.

--

Despite the light rain that currently misted the earth, there were much larger, greater storms on the horizon.

--

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N– Okayyyy... so there's the next chapter... omigosh it took so long... And im so sorry for that! I hope it filled at least some of your expectations... Please do R&R... Thank you so much to the many of you who had reviewed my story previously!

Beamz