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Who: Aang and Katara
Where: The forest~
When: First night of the event
Rating: PG, PG-13 (just to be safe, although I doubt it will get to that rating)
Summary: Aang and Katara finally have some time alone together to talk about things.

A full moon hung in the sky, and thousands of stars sparkled overhead. Smoke from campfires rose up, desperately trying to reach the twinkling constellations. Aang could hear muffled voices from other campsites, and his group was no exception as far as volume went. Thankfully for himself and his friends, they were more used to living outside than some of the others. He couldn't help but think that the events weren't that bad, if this was the kind of things that happened, but...he knew it was too good to be true.

Everything that Katara, Sokka, and Zuko told him had lingered in his head for far too long. It was troubling, and starting to give him headaches. He needed to talk to his previous incarnations for guidance, preferably before something terrible happened. Someone dying, for example.

His friends were gathered by the campfire, getting along, which pleased him. He knew they were doing it mainly for his sake, but he hoped that in time they would eventually become friends again. He wasn't going to choose sides; he cared about all of them far too much to do so. For now, he could probably sneak off and meditate. At ease in that regard, Aang got up and started to wander aimlessly away from their campsite.

The forest was dark, and he could hear the night birds calling out to each other, as well as the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs. The moonlight was bright enough for him to see by, and so it was that he moved through the trees as quietly as possible, finally stopping at the edge of a clearing. He could see the sky and the moon very well, and it was far enough from his friends that he could just focus on the nature around him. This is a good a place as any, he thought, moving to the center of the clearing.

He sat down in the cool grass, and closed his eyes, the physical world around him washing away.

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Katara sat by one of the many fires that were going, her knees drawn up to her chin. It wasn't cold, but she had a lot of things on her mind. She glanced over at her brother and Zuko who were engaged in friendly, energetic banter.

She wondered about that thing that Sokka hadn't wanted to tell her about. He said there wasn't anything going on, but she still wondered if something had happened. She thought about her confused feelings towards Zuko, and how she felt like maybe she could forgive him, except for the fact that she still had some lingering feelings of negativity toward the Fire Nation.

Then, her gaze traveled over to Aang... except he wasn't sitting where she thought he'd be. That was strange and a little troubling. He had just been there, after all. But then again, maybe it wasn't anything to worry about. He probably was just going to meditate.

But then Katara thought of something. She and Aang hadn't had a chance to talk alone since he arrived. She didn't want to interrupt his meditations, but she didn't know when she'd have another chance like this. So, she got up from the fire, and slipped off into the darker parts of the forest, hoping to find her friend.

She followed the moonlight until she reached a clearing. It didn't make sense for Aang to meditate in the middle of a dark forest, so she continued further into the clearing. It took a few seconds for her to spot him sitting in the grass, already meditating. She came up to where he sat, and just stood there quietly, not wanting to interrupt him.

"Roku?" Aang called out. Everything looked different now; it was wavy, tinted a dark blue. Roku materialized out of thin air, his wizened face troubled. "We're in a very strange place. This is nothing like I've ever heard of or seen."

"I know," his past self replied. "I didn't know a place like this could even exist."

"What should I do? I have no idea how to get back home," Aang cried out. "I don't even know the first place to start! Zuko's died already! I can't wait around until one of my friends gets hurt again!"

Roku nodded in understanding. "What happened to Zuko wasn't something you could control, Aang. You weren't here, and it wasn't your fault. It was a choice he made...just as you would choose to sacrifice yourself for the people you care about."

The Avatar sighed. "You're right."

"You felt it, didn't you? The spirit of this place?" Roku asked him. When the young boy nodded, he continued, "That would be the first step. The Queen did something to this place, although we do not know who or what she is. This spirit will have the answers. Whether or not we're able to find her remains to be seen."

Aang looked away from Roku for a moment. If there were mirror-selves, dangerous events, and death...he didn't want to think about what kind of spirit would be behind these things. It unnerved him. There was no avoiding it, though. He was going to have to try and do what he could to get to the root of this problem. That is, if the spirit even wanted to be found.

"In the meantime," Roku advised, "I would keep doing what you are doing. Allies will be invaluable here, and it couldn't hurt to build your knowledge while you can."

Aang nodded. "Thank you, Roku."

The older man gave him a wistful smile. "Things are never easy for you, are they? I am sure you will find peace in the future. You can overcome this, just as you overcame Fire Lord Ozai. Our knowledge is at your disposal at any time." He inclined his head in respect, Aang bowing back in turn, before he vanished.

The color began to change, and Aang could start to feel the muscles in his body. His breath stayed deep and steady even after he opened his eyes. He thought over what Roku had said. The Spirit is the key, his brows furrowed. I'll have to learn more about this place, and see if I can find anything that might give me a clue as to what to expect.

Sighing, he rose to his feet and turned around, jumping slightly at the sight of Katara. It wasn't like him to not notice her presence, but he'd been distracted lately. This whole experience had left him feeling slightly disoriented, although he tried to appear to be coping superbly.

"Oh, Katara! I was just talking to Roku...is everything okay?" He asked her, worried that maybe something had happened back at camp.

Edited (omg i can't believe i accidentally deleted part of it) 2012-03-18 08:19 (UTC)

Katara knew better than to interrupt Aang while he was meditating and communicating with his past lives, so she continued to sit and watch. There wasn't much to see, but she waited patiently. The forest was beautiful to look at, even though it was dark. Having grown up in a place that was all ice and snow, Katara still marveled at things like trees and plants.

But then her attention was caught as Aang stood up and turned to look at her. She got to her feet as well, and smiled while shaking her head. "Everything's fine, Aang. I saw that you had left, and I wanted to be sure you were all right." She twisted her hands together then, as though suddenly nervous. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, but... Well, I wanted to talk to you."

"O-Oh! You did?" Aang could feel his cheeks flushing slightly. Oh man, he managed to think coherently before his mind was a jumble. Part of him wanted to pump a fist into the air because they were finally alone, and another part of him felt nothing but dread; what if there was something else that was horrible about this place, and Katara had waited until they were away from the others to talk about it?

Either way, butterflies fluttered in his stomach, and he tried his best to have a cool, demeanor, like Jet. Whatever she wanted to talk about seemed to be serious, and he didn't want to make her more nervous than she already was. "I'm listening."

"Yes, I did." She takes a breath and jumps right in. "I know Sokka and Zuko are glad you're here, and none of us wanted to upset you. It's a lot to take in, and you haven't had as much time to think about it as we have." She clasps her hands together. "It wasn't fair to you, Aang, and I'm sorry."

She glances briefly at the ground for a second before continuing. "Why don't we sit down? We have a lot to talk about."

"It's not your fault, Katara. Thank you, though. It's going to take some time to really come to terms with things, but...I'll be okay." He gave her a smile; what an idiot he had been! He should've known Katara would have been able to tell how he was really feeling. She always had. It was one of the things he admired about her; she was very intuitive when it came to other people's emotions.

"All right," Aang agreed, sitting back down on the soft grass. He crossed his legs, feeling more relaxed than he had been ever since he got to Wonderland. Surrounded by nature, and with the person he loved most - although he was too shy to say it, especially since they came from different points in time - was comforting.

He wished his insides would settle down, though. The butterflies in his stomach just wouldn't go away, and it left him absentmindedly toying at strands of grass.

"But it feels like it is!" Katara can't help but protest, even though she knows that she's not entirely responsible for the things Sokka and Zuko said. "It feels like we've done nothing but argue and fight since we arrived."

This is the part where she could use Aang's wisdom. He may be a kid, but he's really smart and wise in his own way. She scoots over the grass, getting a little closer to him because it's a little chilly and because she's missed spending time with him, the way they used to back home.

"I don't know what to do about Zuko. He wants me to forgive him, but I don't think I'm ready to." She looks at her friend, wondering what he'll say. He knows that Zuko got himself killed while saving her and Sokka, but even with that, it's still hard for Katara to forget about her mistrust of Zuko and of the Fire Nation. "He's not a bad person, but it's not that easy."

Aang's expression softened. He remembered all too well his own distrust of Zuko. The prince had chased them all around the world, kidnapping Aang's comatose body when he has been in the spirit world. On top of that, he betrayed them all, overwhelming Katara and unwittingly involving himself in his own death. If anything, he knew exactly how she felt. But...Zuko was different now. He wasn't the person he was before. He had grown and learned from experience, and humbled himself. Aang had been angry and reluctant too, but...he couldn't help but forgive Zuko. After all, he had turned his back on the whole world for a hundred years, allowing it to get as bad as it did. If the world could forgive him, then he could certainly forgive the Fire Nation's exiled prince.

For Katara, it was different. It was much more personal. And even knowing the future, it was difficult for feelings to change. He could tell that this had been eating away at her, and he was glad that she felt that she could confide in him. What were friends for, after all?

He paused a moment, mulling over what to say. "...Zuko has done many horrible things. His family has done even worse. You cannot blame the child for the sins of the father, no matter how awful those things may be. But at the same time, I don't expect you to just be best friends with him right away...I don't expect any of you to. You have to move at your own pace, and establish trust in your own way. I hope what I said before didn't come across as me trying to force you all to be friends; that's the last thing I want. If that were to happen, you'd all just end up resenting each other, as well as me.

"I'm just grateful you're all willing to compromise. Take your time, Katara." Aang gave her a gentle smile. "I know you'll come to see the good in him, just as I did."

Katara listened carefully to everything Aang had to say about the matter. She trusted him, and she knew he had good advice to give. She was glad that he understood her situation and that he wasn't forcing her to be Zuko's friend. "So, you don't think I'm wrong for not being ready to forgive him, even after everything he's done?" Some would say that sacrificing yourself is the ultimate sign that you should forgive a person, but Katara just can't bring herself to feel that way.

"I don't think Zuko understands why it's taking me this long to forgive him," she adds. She knows it must be frustrating, but as far as she's concerned, any progress they're going to make is going to be slow. It's the only way she can see it working.

"Thank you, Aang. You always know what to say." She takes his hand in hers and gives it a squeeze.

Aang squeezed her hand back in affection. "No, I don't think you're wrong. Every person's different...you can't expect them all to heal their wounds so quickly. What he did should at least let you know he's trying to prove himself."

He sighed, continuing, "Knowing him, he's frustrated to no end right now. I can understand how he's feeling; it's very strange coming from different points in time, and having to do things all over again. I'll talk to him for you, if you'd like? At the very least, I'm glad I was able to help you!"

His eyes drifted down to their hands, and he forced himself to swallow the wave of disappointment that threatened to come up. Just friends again. There were so many things he wanted to say to Katara, so many things he wanted to do for her...how could he? Things weren't the same as when he left. He was unsure again. It was bad enough that he knew that Zuko was more mature and, well, manly, than he was, but now there were all sorts of different people, from different places...he was surprised she was so happy to see him when he showed up. A part of him thought for sure there would have been at least one guy trying to get in her good graces.

And how could they not? Katara was sweet, kind, loving, strong, a superb bender, independent...

He tore his eyes from her hands and gazed at her for a moment. And beautiful, he couldn't help but think. He swallowed the lump in his throat and his heart started pounding in his chest. The Avatar was amazed that she couldn't hear it. Everything felt perfect; the moon was full, it was a beautiful night, they were alone...he'd be an idiot not to do...well...something.

Willing his hand not to shake, he reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind one of Katara's ears before turning bright red and coughing in nervousness. What to say, what to say...what to do???? Argh, geez, I need to say something! he mentally barraged himself.

"I-it's a beautiful night out," he managed to stammer, before mentally smacking himself in the face. Good job, Aang. That's pretty obvious!

Edited (had to add something) 2012-03-19 02:13 (UTC)

"I know, and I feel badly about it, but I just can't rush this." Katara twists her hands together, hating the situation she's in. She doesn't like leaving Zuko to his frustration, but she needs to move at her own pace. She sighs and decides to put it from her mind, at least for now. "Thank you, Aang. You always have good advice."

She glanced down at their hands and smiled. Aang really was a good friend. They'd been through a lot together, which meant that their bond was a really special one. She let her gaze travel up until she was looking at Aang. He was more cute than handsome, but there still was something about him that she liked. Maybe it was the kindness in his eyes, combined with a mischievous sparkle. She couldn't quite figure out what it was.

When he reached out to tuck an escaped strand of hair behind her ear, she felt shivers go up and down her spine in response to his touch. She hoped he didn't notice the hint of red that was beginning to creep up her neck.

"It is, isn't it?" She managed to say. "This event isn't that bad. You're really lucky, Aang." And really, considering some of the events they'd had to deal with, this event was a good one. They were in a beautiful place, and she was with one of her best friends.

Things couldn't get any better.

"After what you guys have told me, I'm not too sure, but if you say so! I guess, really, this place isn't that bad, in its own ways...I mean, look!" He threw his arms wide open towards the night sky. "There's so many stars, and even Yue's watching over this place. It will be difficult, and at times it may be almost unbearable, but...I know if we focus on the good things, we can all get through this!" He turned back towards her, his old confidence beginning to kindle again. "It's a new adventure, and I say we take it on! But for now..."

Aang laid back into the grass, staring up at the sky. "...let's enjoy the view." He held his hand out to her at his side. She was free to take it or not; he was enjoying her company either way.

He wondered if now would be the best time to talk to her about...well, them. The young boy wasn't entirely sure; such was the awkwardness of the teenage years. Even with all the wisdom his previous incarnations could give him, he was clueless when it came to girls. He had made a fool out of himself on more than one occasion; the evening they had seen the Ember Island Players especially came to mind. He'd really made himself look like a complete jerk, didn't he? But now...he had a second chance. An opportunity to do things right and treat Katara the way she deserved to be treated.

...Well. He'd try anyways. Roku, he asked inwardly, even though he knew it was futile, when does love get better? Or is it always this complicated?

"That's what I mean! Isn't this place beautiful?" Katara leans back into the grass too and just stares up at the sky for awhile. "Aang, I'm so glad you're here. I know this place can be dangerous and we don't know what to expect, but now that you're here, everything seems a lot better." She willingly takes his hand and smiles warmly at him.

This reminds her of how things were before they came to Wonderland. How they were always on the move and spending night after night outside. It was made even nicer by the fact that, at the moment, there wasn't a war going on. At least, not in the sense that they were used to.

There was still danger, but it wasn't the way things were at home. One thing was the same, though: they would get through it together.

"So, Aang, what's the last thing you remember before you came here?"

Oh. Oh. This...totally isn't awkward. Nope. Not at all. This was...oh jeez. What was he supposed to say to that? He couldn't just tell her that the last thing he remembers is sharing a passionate kiss on a balcony overlooking Ba Sing Se. No. No way.

At the same time though, lying about it just didn't seem right. It was something they did together, after all. Aang's face turned bright red and he tried to focus on the full moon instead of the all-too familiar feeling of her hand in his. He coughed in embarrassment, struggling to find the right words. This was...aaaah, his insides were a mess. The butterflies from before were more prominent now than they had ever been.

"You see, um...we've been through a lot together, and uh..." Aang stammered. He swallowed loudly. "There was cause for celebration...I'd defeated the Fire Lord, Zuko had taken his throne back, everyone survived...and, um, you know...things weren't so...confusing...anymore, and uh..."

Oh man. Spirits help him. He was really screwing this up. He should just spit it out already, but he was getting tongue-tied, and he couldn't get his thoughts in order and what if she freaked out? What if she got angry at him and didn't want to talk to him for a long time? Just say it already.

Mustering all the courage he had, he finally managed to blurt it out. "We kissed. I-it wasn't like before, it was different. It was..." He stopped, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable, his face turning bright red. Did he really have to go into detail as to what it meant to him? Maybe he should; she might think he was being forceful or something. "It was like we could actually breathe, almost like the world gave us permission to love each other-" He stopped abruptly, resisting the urge to hide his face in his robes. He half-expected her to yank her hand away from him any second now. She must think I'm such a weirdo, Aang thought despairingly.

"I'm sorry, please don't be mad," he continued hurriedly. "I shouldn't have told you about it - I know you're from a different point in time and things were different then. Now." He groaned inwardly. Good god, this was turning into a disaster.

Katara stared at Aang, wondering what was going through his mind. Maybe she shouldn't have asked, if it was something bad. She didn't want to upset him.

But then she noticed his face was turning red, and well, she didn't think that was Aang's normal way of showing he was angry. But... did that mean what she thought it did? "Wait, you defeated the Fire Lord? And Zuko...?" What was that supposed to mean? Aang hadn't fought the Fire Lord yet, or so she thought! Did that mean Aang was from the future?

But Katara, that's a good thing! That means the war's over! She thought to herself. "So, there was a celebration, and-" Wait. We kissed? She listened to what he said about the kiss and what it meant, and she felt her own face beginning to turn red again. "I'm not sure what to say, Aang, but I'm not mad. Why would I be?"

She smiles reassuringly and squeezes his hand again. If she was being honest, Aang's news had made her nervous and she didn't know how to react. She liked Aang a lot; they were friends and he was really important to her. What should I do?

"I want to give you a chance, Aang," Katara said finally. Why did this have to be so hard?

Aang sat up from the grass, looking down at her in surprise. This was...unexpected. He had been ready to hear her get upset and walk back to the campsite, completely livid, but this...

She wants to give you a chance! He thought exultantly, practically beaming. "Really?? I mean, uh," he coughed, trying to act cool again, "I'm glad. I really am. I just didn't want you to think I was a jerk or something." He laid back down on the grass, turning on his side to look at her, his head propped up by his left hand.

"I really like you, love you, even, but I want you to take your time, just like with Zuko. I'm not going to assume or expect anything. This is a decision you're going to have to make yourself, regardless of what the future holds." He glanced down at their hands, and couldn't help but brush his fingers over her fragile knuckles.

"There's no war here...we can take things slow, and I want to do things for you! I want to do this right...courting you, I mean. I want to give you flowers and do all the things for you we couldn't do before while we were fighting the Fire Lord. ...If you'll let me, that is."

His heart was pounding, and he resisted the urge to hug her, even though every inch of him wanted to. As a side note, he prayed to the Spirits that Zuko or Sokka wouldn't come crashing through the trees. He knew they must have noticed they had snuck away by now, and were probably starting to get suspicious. He blanched inwardly, worried by how Sokka would react to this, but quickly told himself that it was something that would be dealt with later. Like you told her before, no one else matters right now. It's just the two of us...I should savor this, because who knows what will happen in this place? One of us could...die, or...

His thoughts drifted off and he shyly looked back up at her. "No matter what happens, though...you'll always be my best friend, Katara."

Katara looked confused as she tried to think what to say. "Why would I do that, Aang? You were just telling me how you feel." Yes, she was blushing, and yes, she was definitely at a loss for words. Since she and Sokka had met Aang, she had always thought that he was just a really good friend. Now, though, it seemed like maybe there was more to it.

Especially now that he had said he loved her and wanted to court her.

Just thinking of it made her go red. No one had made her feel quite the way Aang did. Of course, there had been the likes of Jet, but that was different. She couldn't explain it, but it definitely wasn't the same. "Aang, I don't know what to say." She rolled over until she was looking straight at him. How had she not noticed how nice his eyes were? Again, a chill ran through her in response to his touch. Maybe she really did love him.

It was all happening so fast that Katara didn't know what to do. Her instincts were giving her mixed signals, and the fact that they were alone on such a beautiful night wasn't helping clarify things. The part of her that wanted to be loved and to love someone in return was screaming at her to accept Aang's offer, but then there was that other voice that was more cautious and fearful of being hurt that caught her up short.

She wasn't afraid that Aang would hurt her. She knew that would never happen. What she was afraid of was that something would happen to Aang. He was the Avatar, after all. It wasn't always safe to be him. If something happened and they were separated, she wouldn't know what to do.

She was afraid that if she let herself care about Aang, then something terrible would happen to him and she would be lost. I don't want to go through losing someone I care about again...

Katara realized then that she had let her thoughts get away from her, and she came back to the present moment. Squeezing Aang's hand yet again, hoping to reassure herself that he wasn't going anywhere, she smiled. "We'll always be best friends, Aang." And, taking a deep breath, she said something she thought she'd never say, "I want to let you court me."

What. What???? Did she really...just say that? He blinked, thinking that he had fallen asleep and was dreaming. But no, there was the cool breeze on the back of his neck and the scent of freshly budding flowers, the warmth of her hand in his. It was all too real. He wanted to get up and yell out a loud "YES!!!" to the sky and dance around, but he didn't. Instead, he grinned broadly, letting his giddiness have at least that much satisfaction.

"Thank you. I promise I'll do my best to take care of you," he vowed - and it wasn't a promise he made lightly. The monks taught the children at a young age about relationships; the constant traveling of the nomads made it necessary to do so. Monk Gyatso had told him to not take courtship lightly - it was an essential process of developing a spiritual tie with both persons involved. Getting to know each other on different levels was important. He wanted to get to know her spirit - he wanted to learn everything he could about her.

He silently thanked Yue for being so beautiful tonight; it felt like the Moon Spirit were giving them her blessing. The soft light brought out the azure in Katara's eyes, and he couldn't help but be drawn in by them. Before he even really realized what he was doing, he had leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to her forehead, her cheek, and then lightly grazing her own soft lips.

He turned away then, feeling embarrassed by being so forward. "I hope that wasn't too out of line," he muttered. "One of those 'heat-of-the-moment' things, you know?" He laughed awkwardly. Oh god. I can't believe I just did that.

Changing the subject, he asked, "Are you cold? We can head back to camp, if you want."

Katara knew she was taking a risk by doing this, but the risks didn't seem to matter as much when Aang kissed her. It felt right, so that meant she was making the right decision. "Someone has to take care of you, too," she said with a smile. "It's okay, Aang."

Actually, it was more than okay, but Katara was just going to leave that little detail unsaid. He probably knew it, anyway.

"If we go back to camp, that means we'll have to talk to Sokka and Zuko. I don't think I'm ready for that yet." Katara's face turned a little red just from thinking about it. They weren't doing anything wrong, but she didn't want to deal with Sokka's reaction right now, not when everything felt so wonderful.

"Hmm, I know what you mean," he said. A peculiar feeling recoiled in his stomach. He hadn't really thought about how their friends would react to this new development. It was far too easy for the air nomad to forget that not everyone had the same philosophies as his people did. They were very open about their emotions and relationships - but other people weren't. He wondered briefly if this could be considered a betrayal as far as his friendship with Sokka went, but he brushed those feelings aside.

No, he thought, reaching over to draw her in for a quick hug. You were the first thing I saw after my hundred-year-long sleep, and in that moment I think I already knew. To hide my feelings would only betray myself...he may not like it at first, but hopefully he'll learn to understand it. He let go of her, laying back down in the grass.

"...I wonder how badly he'll freak out." Aang stifled a giggle, thinking about it. "I'm sure we're going to hear a lot more about the 'oogies' than usual...but he's always been like that. It's what makes him one of the 'manly men'," he said in a mock baritone.

Gazing into the eternal expanse of the sky, at all of the different stars and constellations...it made him feel small, and yet, connected with everything, even now, in this strange place. It seemed that even though he was in a different world, his bond with nature hadn't been severed. For that, he was very glad and grateful; it would have been like losing the core of his very being.

"Do you think our friends back home can see the same stars we do?" He asked her. Aang didn't want to tell her about what Roku had said, not yet. He would wait until this blissful moment ended, when they were back with their friends. It wasn't something he was going to jump headlong into without gaining some knowledge first. He didn't know what to expect, and he didn't plan on dying anytime soon.

...But it may be up to Wonderland if that happens or not, he thought in resignation.

"You don't think he'd try to... I don't know, keep us apart, do you?" Katara twisted her hands together nervously. It wasn't like she and her brother talked about this kind of thing. She had no idea how Sokka would react if she and Aang started to see each other that way.

Katara shook her head then, feeling like she was worrying over nothing. "No, Sokka will be fine with this. I'm sure of it," she said firmly. She relaxed in Aang's arms, enjoying his company. She watched as he lay back down, marveling at his ability to relax so easily.

Being relaxed and at peace with everything still didn't come easily to her, especially with the situation they found themselves in. She frowned, her worries coming back to her.

But then Aang's question penetrated her worried mind. "Oh! Um, yes... I think they can," Katara said quickly, trying to gather her thoughts. "Or at least, I want to believe they can. It makes me feel better." She gathered her legs up and rested her chin on her knees, thinking about their friends.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I don't think he'd be too thrilled at the idea, but...we've been through a lot together. Sokka's smart - he had to have realized that something like this could happen eventually...I'm sure that over time, he'll be alright with it. It won't change anything; we'll always be friends." Even so, he mentally prepared himself for the event that he may overreact. He doubted things would get too awkward, but in the very rare chance that Sokka's brotherly instincts made him want to fight, Aang decided that he would try and take the most peaceful solution possible. He didn't want to come between the siblings; family was important. All the same, this was a choice Katara had made, and her brother would need to respect that. Whether he would or not remained to be seen.

He glanced over at her - Katara seemed troubled. He didn't blame her. They had no idea how their friends and family were doing. Was time going by without them? Would things change while they were gone? What if things fell apart in their absence? It was somewhat torturous, not knowing.

"...Toph's really strong, you know," Aang commented. "The White Lotus are really great too, and invaluable allies...even more so as friends. Your father, his army...they're very courageous and strong. I think they'll be alright." He wasn't sure if this would help ease her worry, but it was worth a shot.

"...Ozai is weak. Even if he were to escape, he wouldn't have the strength to do anything." He turned back to stare at the heavens, a peculiar sensation in his chakras. How could he explain it? He had thought that standing in front of the cosmos itself was astounding enough, but what he did to Ozai was something he hadn't really talked about with anyone. Now, however, seemed like the right time. And who better to understand him than Katara?

Sighing, he began. "I want to tell you what happened. I left, the night before Sozin's comet arrived. The Lion Turtle called to me. It was huge, the biggest animal I've ever seen. But it was more than that. He was ancient. I wish you could've seen him, the wisdom he had in his eyes...it was like he had seen the world when it was still young.

"Everyone expected me to end Ozai's life, even my past lives. But how could I do something like that? It goes completely against what I am! If it weren't for what the Lion Turtle taught me...I would be different, and not for the better." Aang tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice before he continued, "The Lion Turtle gave me the knowledge of bending energy. And just as he said, Ozai came, heralded by smoke and fire.

"Katara..." Aang's voice broke slightly. "There was a moment when I thought I was going to die. I couldn't kill him. I just couldn't. No matter how evil or insane he was, he was still human, and he was so powerful!" The words were flowing easily now. He hadn't realized how badly he needed to talk to someone about what had happened. "His bending was amazing - some of the most powerful I'd ever seen in my life."

"I don't even know why I'm worried. It's not like I'm doing anything wrong, right?" She pulls on her hair a few times. "I'm just spending time with a really good friend." She tries to smile, not wanting to cause either of them unnecessary worry.

But then Aang goes on to talk about the war and Fire Lord Ozai. Her expression becomes more sober as she listens to what he says about everyone expecting him to take the life of the Fire Lord and his efforts to seek advice. "You were right not to want to kill him, Aang," she says finally. It's hard to know what to say because Aang is from a different time than her, and she hasn't yet experienced everything he's saying.

"I would have done the same thing." She reaches for his hand and squeezes it. "But Aang, I know you would have found a way in the end. You're the Avatar, and you have a tremendous amount of power. I know you would have succeeded." She can't imagine what would happen if he hadn't. The thought is not something she wants to spend any time thinking about.

Aang turns his head towards her, his eyes full of gratitude before he squeezes it in kind. The faith Katara had always put in him was what kept him going. He didn't think she understood just how much he relied on that. She had been there to calm his fury when no one else dared. She had seen his tears, had been with him when he was at his most vulnerable. He was thankful to have her as his anchor.

"Thank you," he murmured, and meant every word. "To make a long story short, Ozai accidentally unblocked my final chakra. I could go into the Avatar State again. I chased him down, and finally got a hold of him, and my past selves...they were ready, they wanted to end his life. But I couldn't do it. Instead..."

His voice trailed off as he lifted his hands to look at them. Even now, he could barely believe he had managed to do it. Swallowing, he continued, struggling to find the right words to describe energybending. "...I bent his energy, Katara. With my own two hands. It was...enlightening. I could see Ozai...I mean, really see him. All of his faults, all of his memories, secrets, everything that made him who he was. All of that was there for me to see. And the same went for him. He saw all of me.

"He almost consumed me; he was so strong and willful! But his corruption ran too deep, and his energy buckled under my own. I took away his firebending powers. He can never harm another living thing ever again."

Aang sat up, leaning forward to give Katara a reassuring kiss on the forehead. "That is why you shouldn't worry, Katara. He can't do anything. He can't even walk without someone else helping him. He's alive...but he has plenty of time to reflect on his past actions and to repent for what he's done wrong. He's in the best prison there is, and I trust the guards to keep anyone and anything from getting in or out without explicit permission."

He hoped that this eased her mind - he hated seeing his companion worried like she was.

Edited 2012-03-25 08:49 (UTC)

The funny thing is that if Katara didn't have Aang, she would find it a lot harder to keep going, to keep believing that one day the war would be over and the world would be balanced once more. She hadn't mentioned it to Sokka or Zuko, but there were times where she felt like it was impossible to keep going.

The mansion did horrible things, and it wasn't easy to stay hopeful. But now Aang was here, telling her that he had taken care of the Fire Lord in a way that didn't involve taking his life. Maybe all was not lost after all.

"I always knew that you were powerful, Aang," she says with a warm smile. Energybending is something that she doesn't quite understand, even with his explanation. What she does understand is that, as the Avatar, Aang has abilities that no one else has. What he did was incredible, and it saved the world and restored balance.

"There is no way someone like the Fire Lord could have overcome you, Aang. Ozai is evil, and you... You're the best person I've ever known." Coming from Katara, that's quite the compliment. "And I'm not worried, not anymore. The mansion is a terrible place, and I wish we weren't here. But somehow, having you here makes all the difference in the world."

She smiles when he kisses her on the forehead. If she was afraid and worried, she isn't anymore. Aang's taken care of that for her.

Edited 2012-03-27 05:48 (UTC)

His heart leaps at her words, and he can't help but give her a great big smile. "I'm honored that you think that about me," he tells her, his cheeks flushing slightly. "You help me stay good...you've been there for me during my darkest times. I would never have gotten where I am today if it weren't for you."

A soft breeze whips up - it's getting chillier the longer they stay out there. "Are you cold?" Aang asks her, worried. "I could bend a small flame or something, if you wanted?"

He feels like he did when he was a young child learning airbending. It was awkward at first, and he made many mistakes, but after awhile, he got the hang of it. This - the tentative time between friendship and love - seems to be no different, although he does feel a bit more at ease after getting all of that off of his chest. It was a relief to finally talk about it with someone, especially someone who did their best to understand.

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god, i apologize for the mini novel here

Ahhh I'm sorry for taking so long!

s'all good! :D

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