Victim of changes.
Rating: Rated teen for romance.
Summary: Aang and Katara are living their life as husband and wife at the southern air temple. One night Aang gets visited in his dream by a spirit telling him to go to the spirit world, but for how long?
P.S. This is my first fanfiction ever, so please be nice and review, constructive criticism is always much appreciated. And the title really have no significance to the story.
Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Nickelodeon, and Viacom.
Chapter 1. Dreams.
Five years had passed since the events involving the harmony restoration movement and Aang's promise to Zuko. And it was six years since Sozin's comet. Aang was now living with Katara, Suki and Sokka and more than twenty air acolytes at the southern air temple, even though he is a nomad he wanted to settle down with Katara. They were now married, 16 was the marrying age of the water tribe and the air nomads really did not have any age restriction, they believed there was no restriction in love and you should embrace it when it came. Their wedding was held at the southern air temple, but it was a water tribe wedding. When Aang proposed, he had made her a betrothal necklace, but not quite in the traditional style. He made a larger pendant with symbols of air and water, he also included arrows to symbolize that he is a master of his native element, and waves symbolizing that Katara is a master waterbender. There was a small circle on it with the same symbols on Katara's mother's necklace. It was made so they could combine the two pendants putting her mother's necklace on top of the new pendant but showing all the air and water symbols. Orange laces were intertwined with the already existing blue ones.
They were both very happy, and surprisingly there were not as many avatar duties as they thought it would be, of course sometimes he would have to visit republic city and supervise the construction there, the city was almost finished, and so was air Temple Island where they would move as soon as it was finished. The air acolytes would keep the southern air temple habited.
Today was a normal day. Everyone was up at dawn except Sokka and Suki who liked to sleep in. Aang and Katara would start the day by eating breakfast together, feed Appa and the rest of the sky bison's that they had discovered in a cave near republic city after the harmony restoration movement events. They also fed Momo before lecturing the air acolytes in the way of the air nomads. They would then continue the day with bending practice, they loved practicing waterbending together and would often end in water fights and kissing on the ground, they would eat dinner with the air acolytes, Sokka and Suki before spending some time together and then go to sleep after some "nightly activities."
"Wow, you haven't lost your touch Katara." Aang said as he was almost hyperventilating, which was unusual for an air nomad, Katara could do that to him, and she loved that.
"Why thank you all mighty Avatar, you were amazing as always." Katara said seductively while pulling him in for a deep kiss. "Spirits I love you Katara. I love you so much." "And I love you." They snuggled against each other before falling into deep sleep.
That very night Aang had a dream, he was surrounded in clouds just like the first time he spoke to Roku, he expected to see just him even though he had cut his connection with just him, but instead a young girl with white hair and white dress and wrappings were standing in front of him.
"Yue? Why are you in my dream? Is something wrong?" Aang asked knowing this would most likely be a spirit world mission.
"Hello Aang. You are needed in the spirit world. You need to attend a meeting about the future of the air nomads." Katara was never too fond of Aang traveling into the spirit world; she often feared he would never return. Aang was not very happy about spirit world journey's either.
Aang knew the topic of the air nomads would emerge sooner or later so he was in a way prepared for this. He had always wanted to start a family with Katara and have children. Though there is no guarantee that their children would be airbenders, waterbenders or even nonbenders, but they would still try. He would love his children water, air or nonbenders. He feared the spirit would try to pair him up with multiple non bender women to produce an airbender army. He would never to that to Katara, or to himself for that matter.
"Fine, I will do this tomorrow." Aang said formally bowing in respect for the moon spirit.
"The meeting will take place in the inner sanctum of the spirit world, where time passes a lot more unpredictable then in any other part of the spirit world; it will be uncertain how long you will stay in the spirit world from the mortal world's perspective. It could be 5 minutes or even up till two years, so say goodbye to your wife as if you will not see her for years. However in the spirit world the meeting will feel like maybe a day or two." Aang looked shocked and worried of this. If he would be gone for two years, Katara will not take this well. He knew he had to tell her. With this Yue started to fade away before the dream ended. He woke up really fast and was sweating just like after a nightmare.
He turned to see Katara still holding on to him, she woke when he did.
"Nightmare? Want to talk about it?" Katara looked slightly worried, she was still tired, but would always listen to people's problems.
"Kinda, I'll tell you tomorrow, go back to sleep sweetie." He gave her a soft kiss on the lips before pulling her against him and fell asleep.
The next morning they both woke as usual at dawn and walked down to the dining room where the air acolytes already finished making breakfast for everyone. They sat down at their usual table and ate their vegetarian food. They would only make vegetarian food due to that they follow the ways of the air nomads. Katara didn't mind, she had in fact turned vegetarian even before they moved together. Sokka had to buy his own meat once a week when they visited the market.
Katara could see that something was troubling Aang.
"Aang, talk to me. What happened in your nightmare?" she looked concerned.
"I have some bad news Katara." She looked at him puzzled. She placed her hand on top of his and started to stroke his thumb with her own.
"Is it avatar duties? You have to travel to Republic city again?"
"No, spirit world journey, I know you don't like it when I'm there, but that's not the bad news. You see it's a meeting about the air nomads, and the meeting is in the inner sanctum where time behaves strange and unpredictable, which means I can be gone from this world for five minutes... or a up to two years…" Katara looked slightly shocked and a small tear ran down her cheek, he placed a hand at her cheek and brushed away her tear.
"When do you have to go on this spirit world journey?" She felt like she already knew the answer and that she were right.
"Today… in fact just after dinner. If I do end up being stuck in the spirit world for two years, I will be ok. The avatar state will support my body and will have no need of anything, not food, water or bathroom breaks." He grinned at her trying to make her feel better.
"I will be in the sanctuary where I will be safe and not bothering anyone." Another tear fell down her cheek; Aang cupped her face before giving her a long passionate kiss.
"Don't worry Katara. I will be back as soon as time allows it. Wait for me" he said while hugging her.
"I will visit you every day making sure you're alright, and keeping you company."
"You don't have too; I don't want to rip your day away."
"You won't. I will visit every day. I guess we should prepare the sanctuary?"
"No. I have already sent the acolytes to do that, I want to spend the rest of the day with you." She couldn't help but smile at this.
"So what's the plan?" she was trying to sound happy, but she couldn't completely hide her sadness.
"Well. We don't have much time. Let's eat an early dinner and just cuddle; I want you in my arms one last time before I leave, hopefully for a short time, but if it's for a year or two, that is how I would spend my time with you." Katara planted a kiss on his lips; he was caught off guard but soon eased into it.
"Never mind dinner, you won't be hungry in the spirit world anyway, let's just get to our room right now." She hugged him stroking the arrow on his neck. She pulled back and kissed his lips. The air acolytes had left to rig the sanctuary as soon as they found out that he had told her. Aang lifted Katara up and carried her bridal style up to the head monk room where they lived.
Aang and Katara were just lying in their bed cuddling, though it was pretty obvious to them both what was going to happen next, they both had their needs and wanted to feel every inch and part of each other before Aang had to go.
Aang was lying between Katara's legs and breathing heavily and sweating, no words could describe what this time felt like. It was just like their wedding night.
"Aang, it was just like our wedding night. You were amazing." She was breathing just as heavy as the airbender, and sweating just as much. She smiled for a while before her smile turned into a frown, and a small tear escaped her eye. "I know Aang, that there is only a chance that you will be gone for years, but I'm going to miss you. And if I don't see you for years I want you to know that I love with all my heart, I can't even describe it."
"I love you too Katara, with all the love of my heart and as guru Pathiik said: with the love from a whole nation. I feel kinda bad. In the spirit world the meeting will feel like it lasts a day or two, but you have to endure the unknown, it could be years, if it was you that was gone for years I would turn crazy. I will still miss you a lot for the day I'm in there." There was a light knock on the door, Aang got of Katara and lied down next to her and pulled the sheets over them.
"Come in." he said in his formal voice.
The door opened. They did not have locks at the doors in the southern air temple, they were so supposed to be free, and a lock on the inside or outside would take away that freedom. And besides, the air acolytes respected Aang and Katara's privacy and would always knock.
Out of the door came Mianfei, she was one of their best friends, she was one of the first air acolytes so she had the arrow on her forehead, Aang had accepted this, but he would not allow new acolytes to have these sacred tattoos. Mianfei was a woman, but lived at the southern air temple, the tradition of separating genders was long gone, Aang wanted people to meet each other and fall in love, a monk was not supposed to marry like he did, but as the first airbender he was allowed to change a few things.
"It's time Avatar Aang." Mianfei said bowing respectfully.
"Mianfei, I have already told you, just call me Aang." Aang said with his signature smile. Even at this age he was still happy and full of humor and fun.
"Of course Avatar Aang, I mean Aang. Master Sokka and Suki are waiting for you in the sanctuary." Aang smiled and Mianfei left their room. He would have to wear formal clothes, this was an important meeting after all and the clothes you wore in the mortal world you would wear in the spirit world, if that's what you desire, he could just imagine having different clothes, but it was easier this way. Katara helped him get dressed. She put on his formal air nomads clothes that he had the air acolytes made for him. She tied his sash around his waist and wrapped her arms around him placing her chin on his shoulder.
"I really, really hope that you won't be gone for too long." Her eyes started to get a little teary. She turned around facing Aang. She gave him a quick strong kiss before staring into his stormy gray eyes.
"Come on Aang, let's get to the sanctuary." He kissed her at the cheek and then intertwined his hand with hers.
They arrived at the sanctuary doors shortly after. The doors were always open since no one but Aang could open them otherwise. The doors would still be open when Aang was in the spirit world but there would be a curtain covering the entrance to give him privacy. The skillful air acolytes would guard the entrance along with white lotus sentries all day, the avatar was an easy target whilst in the spirit world, but it should be safe. It was not easy to get to the temple in the first place, and it would be hard to enter the temple unnoticed and almost impossible to enter the sanctuary guarded my trusty and skillful guards. An assassin would never be able to get in, but if on did Katara would most likely be there watching over him. And facing a master waterbender protecting the man she loved would not be pleasant for anyone.
As they entered the sanctuary they could see that the air acolytes at been quite busy. The room was way different from when they first saw it. All the statues were still there of course. In the middle of the room there was a circle of candles all lit up. This would symbolize fire, he would sit at a stone floor symbolizing earth, water was swirling around him in a circle, and this would symbolize water. He was an air nomad at birth so he wouldn't really need anything to symbolize air. Next to his sitting spot there were a matrass, a pillow and a blanket for Katara to sit on or even take a nap whilst visiting Aang.
Sokka and Suki were waiting for them right outside the sanctuary.
"Aang, I know that it is uncertain how long you'll be in there, but just in case it's very long. I'll miss you buddy." Sokka said as he hugged Aang fiercely.
"Don't worry, you know I can't stay away from you guys for very long!" they pulled back and grabbed each other's arms in the traditional water tribe hand shake. Then it was Suki, ever since she joined their little group and married Sokka she had become just like a sister to both Aang and Katara.
"I'll miss you too Aang. And don't worry; I will make sure Katara doesn't go insane with your absence." She said as she hugged Aang. A small tear even left her eye. Aang had become a dear friend of her.
"We will leave you too alone." Sokka said taking Suki's hand and dragging her away. Aang and Katara went inside the sanctuary. She wanted to be there as he was passing over to the spirit world.
"Aang, as I said I will visit you every day." Katara said as she hugged him keeping him as close as she could. She started to sob into the fabric of his robes. He pulled away and lifted her chin slightly up with her thumb. They both leaned in and kissed as passionate as they did outside Iroh's teashop when they first became a couple and at their wedding day. They sat down, Aang at his place and Katara at her matrass. She suddenly got an idea.
"Aang, I want to you to have this." She unclipped her mother's necklace from the one she got from Aang. She pulled Aang's hand in her lap and placed something in his hand before she closed it. He pulled his hand back and opened it; there was Katara's mother's necklace.
"You cannot give me this; it's your mother's necklace." He looked slightly shocked.
"I'm loaning it too you, you can give it back to me when you return from the spirit world. And I thought I already have something to make me feel close to you." She placed to fingers on the necklace Aang gave her as a betrothal necklace.
"My mother's necklace is a part of me. Hopefully it can make you feel close to me." She tied her mother's necklace around Aang's wrist.
"I love you so much Katara, I will be back as soon as I can."
"I love you too Aang with all my heart. You have to go now. Before the Solstice is over." They shared another long and passionate kiss.
Aang positioned himself in the lotus position and placed his knuckles together. He closed his eyes, and after a few minutes his arrow's started to glow. And that was it. He was now in the spirit world.