It was dark in the house in Ba Sing Se. Everyone had gone to bed, but Katara heard a knock on her door.
"Katara?" Came a soft voice, one Katara recognized instantly.
"You can come in, Aang."
Aang quietly opened the door and saw Katara lying in bed. He went over and sat at the side of her bed.
"About to get to sleep?"
"Yeah, tired from sitting around all day."
Aang smiled and reached for Katara's hand. She smiled in return and took Aang's hand as he took hers. After a pleasant couple of moments looking at each other, Aang turned his head down, staring off.
"What's up?" Katara asked recognizing something off about Aang. Aang sighed and looked back up at Katara with a somewhat melancholy look on his face.
"I don't know," Aang said quietly. He paused and then continued, "I should be happy. Everything is great now. The war's over, we're all together... we're together." Aang said emphasizing the last 'we're.'
Katara smiled in response to this and reassuringly squeezed Aang's hand.
"I guess that I kind-of wonder what's going to happen next."
"What do you mean?"
"Well.. everyone's here. But Zuko and Mai leave tomorrow. Then Sokka and Suki are leaving for vacation the day after that. And you and Sokka are going to want to go back to the South Pole eventually. And Toph is going to want to see here parents. And-"
Katara cut Aang off. "Aang, it's ok," she said reassuringly. "Nobody is going away for good."
"I guess I just don't want to lose anyone."
"Nobody will be gone forever. Everyone has things they want to do. It would be impossible to keep staying an entire group."
"But I-"
"Aang," Katara said once again cutting him off, "no matter where everyone else goes, I'll stay with you."
"What about the South Pole?"
"You could come with Sokka and me. Or we could all just stay here. Either way I'm not leaving you."
Aang sighed in relief and smiled once again. "You've always been here for me, Katara," Aang said tightening his grip on Katara's hand.
"Always will be," she said returning the pressure.