Chapter II-Fun on the Water

"Yea-hahah! Whooo hoo!" An underwear-clad Avatar slipped up on the icy slide-like formation Katara had created, sliding down the wavering shoot and spitting out at the end, diving cleanly into the ocean below. With a tremendous SPLOOSH, water gushed up and rained along the shore as a grinning Aang bobbed to the surface and spit out a mouthful of sea water, a gleeful sparkle in his eye. Katara stood on the sand, smiling.

Sokka came up behind her. "Is Aang actually…having fun?" he asked, eyes wide in mock surprise. Katara swatted him on the arm.

"Shut up, Sokka!" she chastised. "Aang has had fun…" But she trailed off, watching the Avatar climb back up the ice tower to the slide. She hadn't seen that joyful expression on his face in weeks…months, even. Her throat tightened at the thought.

"Yeah, sure…" Sokka continued. "Isn't it crazy, watching that goofy little kid play and knowing he defeated the most dangerous person in the entire world?" He shook his head. "Incredible. That is one powerful bender."

Katara felt her insides churn at the mention of a powerful bender. Remembering the old fortuneteller, Aunt Woo, from nearly a year back still made the Water tribe girl shiver. Aunt Woo had predicted that she would marry a powerful bender. Now, knowing what Aang was capable for, Katara was pretty sure who her husband would be.

But the thought frightened her more than even the Firelord could.

Before she could continue her thoughts, a dripping wet monk ran up to her, grinning ecstatically. "Katara, you've gotta try this!" he shouted, hopping up and down. "C'mon!" He grabbed her hand, unconsciously entwining their fingers.

Katara hesitated. Although she'd created the slide, she was kind of afraid of the contraption herself. "I don't know, Aang," she hedged. "I don't have a bathing suit and…"

She was cut off by Aang tightening his grip on her hand gently. "C'mon, Katara," he said more quietly, the smile becoming more persuasive and even a tiny bit evil. "You know you want to…I think it's time for you to have some fun, too."

"Well…I…I mean I guess…"

Aang grinned. "Alright! C'mon, race you to the top!" He took off for the water, leaving a trail of flying sand behind him.

"Wait—Aang!" she called after him, but he was already diving into the water. With a sigh, she shrugged off her dress, so she was only in her undergarments. In a second, she was swimming quickly towards the slide. With a smirk, she raced past the Avatar on a piece of ice, then flipped neatly onto the ice, climbing quickly up.

"Hey, no fair!" Aang shouted, laughing and creating an air scooter to ride up the ice. The two friends raced to the top of the slide, bursting up at the top in an explosion of air and water. They flopped on the top, gasping for air.

Dripping wet, Katara rolled over and giggled at the heap of Aang, curled up and soaking beside her. He looked up at her with his big gray eyes, and started laughing too. For a moment, they laid there, laughing crazily. Then Aang sat up, shook the water off his body, and actually looked at Katara. With a stifled gasp, he swallowed hard. She laid there, eyes closed with a small smile on her face. Against his will, his eyes traveled down her body, pressing his lips together at the sight of her exposed stomach. Of course, he'd seen Katara like this before. But that time, he didn't feel the warmth in his core, sliding downwards…

With another gasp, he leapt up and spun away, wrapping his arms around himself and breathing in deeply.

"Aang?" Katara opened her eyes to see Aang standing away from her, his shoulders tense and rigid. "Aang, are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked, getting to her feet and coming closer.

"N-Nothing," Aang replied quickly. "Just cold…come on, let's go down the slide!" Before she could reply, he flung himself down the shoot and was gone. Katara stood shocked. Aang never complained of the cold. He was more disciplined than that…

Katara shook her head. If something was wrong, he'd tell her later. With a whoop, she followed Aang down the slide, laughing the entire way.

An hour later, Katara pulled her dress on over her wet, shivering body and ran her fingers through her dark brown hair, wincing when they hit a knot.

Behind her, Aang pulled on his pants and shirt on, blowing the air off of him in a burst of air. He smoothed down his clothes and came to stand beside the Water bender. "Thanks, Katara, for all of this." He gestured to the now-melting slide. "It was so much fun. I need it. Thank you."

Katara smiled at him and gave him a hug. "Of course, Aang," she murmured. "I know you needed this. You've been under so much stress lately…it was worth it to see you smiling like that again."

Aang smiled against the soft, silky fabric of her dress, burying his nose in her soft hair. "It was good to see you smiling, too," he replied. "You haven't had fun since, well, since Zuko turned to our side."

Katara chuckled. "I guess so." She pulled the boy closer for a second, then stepped back to smile at him. "C'mon, someone looks like they could use a hot bath and some egg custard." Aang grinned.

"Race Ya!" With a lingering grin, he hopped up and tore towards the town and the Fire Palace. Katara smiled and let him run. She walked slower behind him, taking her time up the path. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the Earth bender leaning against a rock and twirling two between her fingers.

"Man, your heart is like a jackalope rabbit." Toph commented, making Katara jump a mile. Before Katara could scold her, Toph continued. "It almost seems like you might actually like Aang. You might loooove him."

"What are you talking about?" Katara scoffed. "Of course I love Aang. He and I have been through a lot. We care a lot about each other."

"That's not what I meant." With a lazy flick, Toph crushed the pebbles and tossed them away. "I mean, even when he's in the same room with you, his heart goes crazy and lately, I'm getting a lot of heat from him, too." She smirked, sensing Katara's tomato blush. "And you're not far, either. I can hear it, how you talk about him. It's in your voice."

"It is not, Toph," Katara grumbled. "Aang is family. He knows that."

"Does he?" Toph teased. "I happened to have heard a little rumor swirling about the palace. Apparently, the maid saw you and Aang kissing in his chamber." She paused, and the grin grew impossibly wider. "You don't have to confirm it. Your heart says it all." With a little wave, she waved her hand and disappeared into the ground. But Katara could still hear her laughter.

With an exasperated grumble, Katara stamped her foot. "Feel that, Blind Bandit," she mumbled, starting up the path again.

"C'mon, Katara!" Aang called, hopping up about a mile ahead of her. Katara smiled.

"Coming, Aang!"

A couple hundred miles away, deep inside the Boiling Rock prison, laid a forlorn figure. With a hiss and a scream, she beat against the metal door of her cell. "You traitors! You will pay for your treason against my father and me! You will all PAY!"

With another wild cry, Azula kicked the door and flung herself backwards, sobs racking her body.

"I will get you, Avatar!" she howled. "Your little Water Tribe peasant, too!" All she needed was a plan…and she would get one.

Thanks for all the positive feedback, guys! You're the best! This was a little fluffy chapter, but I'm working on a plot to speed things up. The chapters would probably be longer then. I hope you guys will like it! :D

Any suggestions? I'm ready to hear them!