It's been five years since we saved the world. Now, we have a new mission…

Five Years Ago

I pulled away from the kiss first. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to breathe. How could he possibly be so good at this? I didn't understand, but it didn't matter. I leaned my forehead against his and smiled softly, sighing in contentment. His hands slid down my back to my hands and he entwined his fingers in mine. Our hands fit so perfectly together, it was intense. My heart was beating so fast, it was like it wanted to come out of my chest.

Aang brought my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. I smiled wider and then he kissed me again. His hands left mine and he put one on the back of my neck to keep me in place, and the other on my shoulder. I returned my hands to their previous position around his neck. The soft, orange glow of the sunset hit the both of us, radiating a lovely warm heat and when we pulled away and looked towards it, it had cast a perfect amount of light across Ba Sing Se. I wanted to stay there forever.

I, however, heard a soft clearing of the throat. Being around the gang as long as I had, I didn't recognize the noise as one of the people I had traveled with for a long time. Because of this, I concluded it was Mai, and I turned my head. The entire "Team Avatar", as Sokka still called it, was standing at the doorway, looking at us. Aang and I both blushed and he smiled his goofy, yet cute smile at the group.

"Orange is such an awful color, though," Mai's voice came from the group. Sokka face palmed himself and Toph laughed.

"I think I am going to like you a lot," she said, punching Mai in the arm out of affection. Mai smirked and punched her back in the same fashion, almost knocking Toph to the ground. I laughed and felt Aang run his hand down my back and grasp my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. He began to move towards the building, and I obediently followed him, still smiling.

"I can't believe the war is over…" Sokka said as we joined them on the pile of cushions placed on the floor for us. I smiled at them as I leaned against Aang.

"Everything is going to be different now," Zuko said as he looked at Mai. Even though the war was over, the sound of his voice sounded almost sad. Not like we didn't know why it sounded that way; we all knew. We would be leaving one another soon. The group had plans after all. As much as we wanted to, we couldn't stay together forever.

"What's going to happen now?" Aang asked Iroh. He was the only real adult out of the group, the wisest, and we definitely needed a grown-up's wisdom right then.

"Well, Fire Lord Zuko and his future-Fire Lady Mai will need to return back to the Fire Nation. The Nation needs to start rebuilding itself and its reputation…" Iroh started.

"Which means I will have to go as well," Aang said, looking down. I looked at him with a bit of confusion. He didn't realize that what had happened between us had made it go from 'him' to 'we'. Wherever he went I would go, too.

"You mean 'we'," I said to him with a smile. Aang lifted his head up and smiled, and I nodded to him in reassurance.

"That is correct. The Avatar will have to work with the Fire Lord to rebuild the Fire Nation and restore the Four Nations to harmony with one another," Iroh said. Aang and Zuko exchanged glances, some mischievous, and Mai and I looked at one another and shook our heads.

"Suki and I are going to have to go to Kyoshi Island again. She is a Kyoshi Warrior after all," Sokka said. Mai snickered a bit, causing us to turn our heads.

"Yeah, and you need to make sure Ty Lee hasn't corrupted the brains of your warriors," she said. Suki's eyes widened in horror and Mai snickered again.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she didn't," Sokka said, though it was apparent that he wasn't reassured either.

"What about you, Uncle?" Zuko asked. Iroh took a sip of his tea and smiled.

"Well, there is no Earth King and King Bumi would not take the job. He said his home was in Omashu, so that was where he would stay. However, he saw Toph, and thought her a great leader, but she is so young. He asked me to take the throne, until Toph was old enough to be the Earth Queen. That is, if she was willing to take the job," Iroh said looking at Toph. Toph looked in his general direction in amazement.

"Are you serious?" she asked him. When he nodded, she smirked and leaned back.

"Sweetness," she replied, causing the group to laugh again.

"That means that this might be the last time in a long time that we will be together," I mumbled. This wave of fact rushed over the group, causing the atmosphere to grow gloomy. The last time that Team Avatar would be together in full for a very long time.

"Hey, we won't really be apart. Someone told me that even when people are gone, they aren't really gone, as long as they are in your heart," Aang spoke up, looking at me. I smiled at him and leaned against his body again. Even though he was kinda small, he was able to handle my weight easily and I smiled at the comfort of feeling his body next to mine.

"Yes, you're right," Iroh replied, nodding and finishing his tea. He then stood up and yawned very wide, causing everyone else to yawn as well.

"I think it is time we head for bed. If we are going to get to our respective places tomorrow, we need to get plenty of rest for the journey," Iroh said as he picked up the empty cups and placed them next to the wash bin.

"Appa can fly you two to the palace and Sokka and Suki to Kyoshi Island before the four of us go to the Fire Nation tomorrow," Aang offered as he stood up, effortlessly pulling me up with him. Iroh put up a hand and shook his head.

"Toph and I shall pass. We need to be moving my effects from this tea shop to the palace which will take too many trips from Appa tomorrow," Iroh said. Aang nodded and began helping me place the cushions back in the bins in the corner of the room.

"Uncle, are you giving up the tea shop?" Zuko asked a bit worriedly.

"No, of course not, my nephew. Do you remember your friend Jin?" Iroh asked. Zuko blushed and made a sideways glance at Mai, who was smirking at him. Zuko nodded at his Uncle and Iroh smiled.

"She is taking it over for me. I will be checking in every now and again," Iroh said. Zuko nodded and then groaned slightly under his breath. The thought of seeing one of his exes did not please him too well. However, this feeling left when he received a sharp elbow jab from Mai. I giggled out loud; it was funny to see someone finally show Zuko who was boss.

"Good night, Uncle," Zuko said as Mai began to drag him to the back of the house to one of the bedrooms. I could have sworn I heard a giggle from her before I heard their door close.

Sokka and Suki were next to go to bed. Suki had forced Sokka to help her wash the tea cups and pot, and Aang had blown them dry while I had placed them back in the cupboards. Once finished, they both retired to their room, Suki practically pulling an exhausted Sokka along behind her. Their door soon closed as well. I watched as Aang walked outside to see if Momo would like to accompany Aang and I to bed, and to have a little alone time.

"You are a very lucky lady, to be with the Avatar," Iroh said as he finished up with the tidying. I looked at Aang lovingly, adoring every feature of him with my bright blue eyes. The arrows on his arms, his legs, and up his back to his head, signifying his status as a master of the art of airbending. My Avatar, my Airbender.

And that was when I realized something. Aang was the last Airbender, the very last one. Once he went away, the cycle would start over again. But if he was the last Airbender, and the cycle got right back to Air, who would be the Avatar? I stared at him in horror as I came to this realization.

I was so into this thought that I didn't even realize when Aang was standing right in front of me.

"Katara?" he said as he snapped his fingers in front of my face. I shook my head slightly and looked at him. His gray eyes were staring into my blue ones with worry.

"Are you alright?" he asked me and I nodded and made a fake smile. He grabbed one of my hands and looked at me.

"Are you coming with me to bed? I'm beat," he said. I smiled and kissed his cheek as I had done many times. But this time it actually meant something.

"I will be up in a minute," I said to him. He released my hand and I waited until he was out of sight before I turned to Iroh.

"Iroh. Aang is the last Airbender," I said to him as I went over to him in his kitchen.

"Yes, Katara. It took you two years to figure that out?" Iroh said, turning his head to me and smiling. When he saw my expression, his smile faded and he faced me completely, looking at me sincerely.

"This is not what you are meaning to say," Iroh stated. I shook my head and felt tears sting my eyes as I looked down.

"No, it's not. It's just that…once Aang…you know…dies; there will be no more Airbenders. And then the Avatar cycle will continue and continue. But…when it comes back to Air, what will happen if there are no Airbenders?" I asked, the tears flowing down my cheeks freely, clouding my vision and making my voice shaky.

"Katara let me tell you something. The Avatar cycle is meant to go on. And simply put, it means that Aang is not the last Airbender," Iroh responded. I looked at him, he must be crazy. But it made sense. When we went to the Southern Air Temple, the only actual bones we found were of Monk Gyatso. He probably wasn't the only one that died, but wouldn't there be more evidence if all of the Air Nomads had perished?

"What?" I asked him.

"You must not tell Aang. If he knows, he may go searching for them, and if he does then he might forget his duty of helping keep the peace and rebuilding the Four Nations as one," Iroh said. We stared at each other for a second and he took the last sip of his tea. He placed it in the wash bin and then turned to me.

"Good night, Katara," he said and then disappeared into a side room. His words were stuck in my mind. How could I not tell Aang? He was my partner, my boyfriend, my best friend. He deserved to know. But he was a kid, and he did make rash decisions sometimes. I then made my decision. I would wait for the right time to tell him. When the Four Nations were together as one. I would not tell Aang, yet.

Little did I know that he already knew.

Yeah I couldn't help myself. *facepalm* Bad habit of mine. Maybe this story will be finished, who knows? I'm kinda stuck on my other one and I have deleted ones I don't plan on finishing. Sorry about that.
Anyways, enjoy.
If you have flames, PM those to me. I don't want them to tarnish my comments.
Oh, and if you have any ideas of how the Gang can save the world again, give those to me too. Thanks :)

Signed,
CarsonRae