Three Little Words

By: Light-Eco-Sage

Rated: Teen for romance and slight hints of sexuality (Kataang)

Summary: The time for keeping secrets has ended. Katara had no idea that there would be three words more powerful and harder to say than 'I love you'.

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is owned by Mike and Bryan. May their names live on in infamy!

LES: This idea came to me at work and it really came at the best time. See, about 98 percent of the time, I'm totally okay with Zutara and those who ship it. But, for the other two percent of the time, which usually comes after seeing some offensive fan-work, I get irrationally angry about the whole thing. My personality is really to blame. I'm a natural stewer. If something upsets me, I'll keep going over it over and over and over until I'm literally ready to explode. The only way to advert this is for some Kataang therapy. That's what this one-shot is… Kataang therapy. So for everyone, including myself, in need of a Kataang fix, here you go…

Katara could honestly tell herself that she didn't feel all that bad, which is quite unusual considering that she had been vomiting less than ten seconds ago.

She quickly spit in her sink, which was purely on reflex because she could not taste bile in her mouth like one normally would after being sick, and stared at herself wordlessly in the mirror.

Her reflection was slightly paler than usual, but there was nothing else about it that spoke of the turmoil going on within her mind. Her reflection did not show it, but Katara knew very well what was 'wrong' with her.

Her hands moved down her naked body, from her breasts, which were slightly bigger than normal and also sore, down to her waist where her curves were more pronounced than normal. It had also been several weeks since her last menstrual cycle, nearly two months, in fact. Now, it was not unusual for a woman to skip a month every once in a while. Anything from stress or illness could cause a woman's cycle to stop, but two months in a row was highly unlikely. Taken all together, it was a sure sign that Katara was…

Pregnant. Katara finished the thought, cupping her lower abdomen. There was nothing to show there, but Katara knew that it was true. At twenty years of age, she was with child.

Honestly, in hind sight, it wasn't that big of a shock. She and Aang had been married for two years, and they were not exactly conservative when it came to their sex life. They both enjoyed sex well and often. In fact, that was the reason that Aang was not at her side while she was up in the middle of the night being sick. Aang was normally a very light sleeper and would awake at her slightest movement. However, he never experienced sleep deeper than post-coital sleep. He had barely flinched, let alone noticed, when she jumped out of their bed to be sick.

Katara turned towards a basin of water, cupping some in her hands, and splashed some on her face. It went a long way to making her feel refreshed and better. But while the water could make her feel less gross about her being sick, it did nothing to dispel the worries that plagued her mind.

They had talked of children before, before they got married. It was just one of the many issues that they needed to talk about before they pledged their lives together. Besides the fact that they both admitted that they wanted children, there had been no discussion on the topic. So she knew that Aang wanted children, but would he want them now? He was only two years beyond manhood and marriage.

She also knew that she wouldn't be able to keep the news to herself much longer. She'd all ready caught Toph taking an unusual interest in her stomach, sightlessly staring at her abdomen. Thankfully, Toph hadn't quite figured out Katara's secret, but she could only count on a few more days at the most. And Aang… he also knew how to see with Earthbending. How much longer until he discovered the news himself?

Katara sighed to herself. Aang, I'm pregnant. They were three little words. Just three little words, and yet she found them harder to say than those other three little words, 'I love you'. How was it that it was harder for her as a twenty year old to tell her husband that she was pregnant than it was for her as a fourteen year old to tell her best friend that she was in love with him?

Katara shock her head. Since when had she become such a coward? There was only one option: to tell Aang. She knew this much: Aang deserved to learn of her pregnancy from her, not from Toph or finding out on his own.

Partially because she was eager to get her news off her chest, and partially because she wanted to get the words out before she lost her courage, she opened the bathroom door and stepped out into her and Aang's bedroom.

Her husband lay on the bed, sound asleep, just as she left him. He was naked from the evening's activities, with only a thin sheet covering his modesty. Honestly, though, the sheet did nothing and Katara could clearly see his fine form through the sheet. She took another breath. Whether he reacted with happiness or terror, she knew that she was proud to bare his child. She couldn't imagine any other man being the father of her children.

She moved over to the bed and climbed on, running her hand along his cheek until he began to stir. "Aang, wake up."

He did so very slowly, yawning and staring at her uncomprehendingly. "Katara?" He asked while yawning. "Is it morning all ready?"

"No. It's still the middle of the night." She replied, kissing his forehead.

"Then why are you…?" Aang began, and then a devilish smirk crossed his face. "Or do you just want another round?" He propped himself up on his elbow and began to kiss her throat.

"Aang, no. I want… need to talk to you." Katara whispered, pulling away from him slightly.

Aang stared at her for a few moments. "Now?" He asked, sounding slightly annoyed at the middle-of-the-night-with-no-option-for-sex wake-up call.

"Yes, Aang, now."

Aang adjusted himself so that he was sitting up, leaning back against the pillows. Katara had to keep a conscious effort not to let her gaze roam down his body, or they'd just end up having sex anyway. "Is something wrong, Katara?" He asked when she didn't immediately speak. "I'm sorry that I was a little short with you for waking me up…"

"Short with me?" Katara repeated, slightly amused. "Have you ever really lost your temper with me during the two years of our marriage?"

"We've argued."

"But you've never lost your temper." Katara said. "There's a difference."

"Well, be that as it may, you can tell me anything, no matter how late it is." Aang said. "What's on your mind?"

"Our relationship." Katara said.

Aang met her eyes. "Should I be worried?"

She slapped his shoulder playfully. "Not like that. It's just that… not that much has changed since we've met each other." Aang raised his eyebrow that that statement. "Okay…" Katara amended herself. "So we've started dating, got married, and started having sex since we first met. I didn't mean like that."

"Oh, good. Because if you had told me when I was twelve years old that I could have sex with you, my brain probably would have melted right out of my ears." Aang commented.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I meant about how we care about each other. From the day I met you, Aang, you took a special place in my heart. Back then, I just thought you would be my best friend. I'm so glad that it became more, though."

"Me too." Aang said earnestly. "You're everything to me, Katara."

Katara couldn't help but reward that statement with a kiss. This man certainly knew how to make a woman feel beautiful and loved. Aang returned her kiss, gently allowing their tongues to meet in an ancient dance. Katara pulled away slightly and whispered against his lips: "You're everything to me, too. But what if someone else came along, someone with a place in your heart just as special as mine?"

"We're not talking about my fangirls, are we?" Aang asked, confused. "Katara, you know that I don't take them seriously. They are just interested in the Avatar, not in Aang."

"What if that someone held just as special a place in my heart as well?" Katara asked, meeting his gaze.

For several seconds, Aang didn't speak; and when he did, he just sounded confused. "I think you've lost me, Katara."

Katara smiled at him, and leaned closer. She took his hands, and first pressed them to the curves of her waist, which brought a grin to his face. Katara returned his smile before moving his hands to her lower abdomen.

For several seconds, Aang seemed to miss the message because his fingers traced small circles on the flesh of her stomach. However, when he met her eyes and saw the meaning in them, his hands froze against her. His wide eyes stared into hers, before they dropped to stare at the place where Katara held his hands against her body.

"Katara, are you…?" He began.

Katara nodded and spoke the three most terrifying and wonderful words that she had spoken to him since 'I love you'. "Aang, I'm pregnant."

For several seconds, he seemed speechless. His mouth kept moving like he was trying to form words, but nothing was coming out. Finally, he managed to croak out: "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Katara whispered. "You're gonna be a Dad."

At long last, he smiled one of the largest smiles that she had ever seen him pull off. His grin was practically from ear-to-ear. "A Dad? Me? I'm gonna be a Dad? And you're gonna be a Mom! Oh, Katara! Are you really really sure?

Really, his happiness was contagious, and Katara found herself grinning just as wide. She nodded, wordless in her happiness. She suddenly found herself pulled into an embrace and a passionate kiss. Apparently, Aang couldn't contain himself any longer. When he pulled away from her, he pressed the palms of his hands against her stomach again. "How long?"

"My guess is about two months." Katara answered. "It's gonna be impossible for us to pick an exact day because we've been having sex so often."

Aang laughed. "Oh, it doesn't matter the exact day it happened, does it? All that matters is that in about seven months, we're gonna be parents!"

"Yes… we are going to be parents." Katara confirmed. She met her husband's eyes and caressed his cheek. "You know that you are the only one that I would share this with, right?"

Aang nodded. "I love you, Katara."

"I love you too, Aang." Katara whispered, pulling him into a kiss.

Aang, I'm pregnant. Three little words. Three little life-changing, powerful, awe-inspiring words. And now they were the best words of Katara's life.

LES: This story turned out surprisingly clean considering the fact that Aang and Katara are naked through the entirety of the story. Honestly, I didn't know if I could resist the temptation to write a lemon, but I guess I managed! Hope that you enjoyed this little therapy piece!