Okay, after I finished my story "Out from the Ashes" this story popped into my head. It's basically what could've happened if Aang left like he wanted to in The Awakening. I still want to wonder what the heck Aang thought he was going to accomplish by leaving in the condition he was in, so I kind of made a logical explanation for it, its irrational, but I think we all know that Aang was in a very difficult place in that episode.

Furthermore, as a quick note, this story will be replacing the Friday Fire War Renaissance updates. This doesn't mean FWR will be left alone for ten months like it was before, just until this story is finished, it's only eight chapters long.

Disclaimer: I own the OC's in this story but not the original Avatar characters.

Prologue to Journey

"…I've always known that I would have to face the fire lord…but now, I know I need to do it alone." He declared firmly. His mind was thoroughly made up at that moment. Even when Katara sighed his name in that sweet tone that always drilled right through his train of thought like rice paper. He didn't let it happen this time, his stubbornness had created too thick a wall to be drilled by words such as those at that moment.

"Katara, please," he begged her when he could see her coming closer, arms out wide. "Just go, please." She proceeded to turn away, just as equally crestfallen as he was, but then he could see her body become tense right at the door. She turned back to face him with a determined face and tears in her eyes.

"No!" She yelled, walking up towards him again. He turned away from her, knowing what she was getting at and not wanting to fall for it, but her warm hand on his bare shoulder broke through him, slightly. "Aang, I'm not going to let you sulk in your made-up pity like this, you're not going to shut me out!"

"Katara, I don't want to talk about this." Aang told her simply, even when she tried to turn him to look at her, he wouldn't met her gaze, mainly because he knew how intensely altering it would to him.

"Well, I do, I know you've been through a lot, but that's no reason to think you don't need me anymore."

"It's not that I don't need you, I just want you to be safe!" She was quiet. "Just to think how I would've felt if you got hurt that night, too." She was still quiet, and he turned to face her.

Big mistake.

She was crying. Not heavily, but any tears coming from her face because of him was enough to make Aang feel lower than dirt. He immediately hovered his arms over her shoulders, wondering if it was wise to hug her at the moment. Embracing was something Aang rarely initiated; Katara would always beat him to the punch in that aspect. But, usually, it was just due to the fact that he was the one who always needed to comfort.

He finally settled on swallowing the fire and pulling her towards him, and when her body landed against his he locked his arms around her shoulders, holding her as tightly as he dared. She hugged him back, respectively, and even let out a pleasured sigh when he began to stroke her hair evenly.

"I can feel it you know." Katara suddenly murmured.

"F-feel what?" Aang murmured as well, tapping his fingers on her back nervously.

"That's something's changed between us."

"How so?" She pulled back and looked into his eyes deeply, and was taken aback when she saw how dark they were. And it wasn't because of the sparse illumination in the room, it was his eyes alone. His eyes looked like that had a dark thunder storm in them.

"You tell me." She told him quietly and resumed her spot on his shoulder. "And I intend to stay here until you find out." She squeezed him tighter for emphasize. He sighed, really wishing he could be enjoying the hug.

"We're not little kids anymore Katara." Aang finally decided to say after a few more moments in her arms. He gently ran his hands up her arms, making her shiver and enjoying every moment, before he stopped at her shoulders and brought her back, just enough to make her look at him. "We can't always do everything together." She shook her head slowly, but Aang saw the warning signs. Her eye brows were lowering and her mouth opened as well, getting ready to spew her seemingly rehearsed monologue. He placed a finger to her jittering lips and shushed her with a soft command. "It's just that there are times where I have to choose between being with you and keeping you safe." He dropped his finger from her lips and moved the hand to cup her cheek, just as she had done the previous night. "And Katara, I'll always choose your safety first." She seemed as if she would cry again but Aang moved towards her and did something crazy.

He kissed her eye lid.

And then the other.

He made sure it was soft enough to leave her with that little piece of information until he got back. When he pulled away and saw the fire in her eyes, he knew that she was going to try something crazy as well.

She kissed him.

Long and hard and even and loving and…well, everything.

Aang wouldn't let it last too long, though, and he wouldn't grant her another like he desperately wanted to he just offered her a defeated smile. Why? Why did she have to kiss him? It only made it harder for him to leave. Aang couldn't afford to be second guessing at the moment. But then, maybe that was Katara's plan?

To Katara, that kiss was the start of a new relationship.

To Aang, though, it was his way of saying something.

"Good-bye, for now, I'll be back for you once I know you're safe."

"Good night, Katara." He said aloud instead.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It's not that Aang wanted to leave. He just felt that everything he had in mind to keep his friends safe pointed to that. He had just kissed Katara—something he had always wanted to do—and he was leaving her. So suddenly, that he was sure she'd be upset. But, his want to protect her was his first priority at the moment and he only hoped that she would see it the same way.

Packing his belongings was not needed, mainly because he really had none at the moment. His sides and back were in so much pain, but he pressed forward with his glider and snuck out the small window big enough to fit him in the room. As he climbed through the window he suddenly found himself turning back, feeling as if Katara was going to come back inside and talk him out of it, which wasn't part of the plan, of course. Somehow, though, he almost hoped that she would come in and stopped him.

He really didn't want to go.

He wanted to run out of the room, find Katara, and fall into her arms and kiss her again. But his mind was made up. It wasn't the most logical thing and would probably hurt a lot of feelings, but most importantly she be safe. Everyone would be safe, and not put in danger or feel obligated to put their lives at risk because of him.

So he stared back at the empty room one more time, looking at the fallen fire nation wall hanging and the healing table in which he and Katara had spoken much in the two days he had been awake. He sighed, feeling a serious throbbing in his chest, and opened his glider before flying away.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Katara couldn't sleep that night. Sleeping when she had just kissed Aang seemed unfathomable in her mind at the moment. So she jumped out of bed, scrambled her cloak on, over her under garments which she slept in, and made her way down the dark hallways.

All she had on her mind was his lips, and hoping that she would get a taste again.

But, she wasn't granted that luxury.

"Aang?" She called softly, creaking his door open as she tip-toed inside. "I couldn't sleep, so I was wondering if you could-"

And there was no one there.

"Aang, no." She groaned under her breath. "Don't do this." Somehow she wasn't surprised he had left, but the pain stung just as freshly as it would if she hadn't suspected it.

There was a letter on his bed—typical—and she picked it up and read it.

I know you're the one reading this. Please don't worry or be mad, I'm just making this world safe for you, and when it is I'll come back to you.

And, I know I'll sound selfish, but, I hope you'll wait for me.

because I love you, Katara.

By this point Katara was in noisy tears, wondering why she cried so much and not caring all at the same time.

"I love you too, Aang!" She cried to the ceiling, realizing the uselessness of her utters. "…I love you too." She said more quietly.

Still, no use.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Are you serious?" Sokka exclaimed when Katara and Hakoda came down to the deck with the most random news. Apparently Aang had run away, leaving Katara nearly in tears, and she wanted to go find him.

"How could Aang just run away like that?" Toph voiced. "He knew we had to keep a low profile, why would he put himself at risk?"

"The reasons aren't important, all that matters is that we find him and get him back here safely." Katara tired to be calm, but the same tears she had when she first told her dad came back to the fore front.

"Alright," Sokka sighed, getting up. "I'll go get Appa and we'll leave in an hour." Toph stood as well.

"No," Katara stopped them, holding up her hand and looking more and more exhausted as she spoke. "I'm going alone." Sokka, Toph, and Hakoda's faces alike changed in which their mouths were agape and eyes were wide. Katara, expecting this, closed her eyes and kept talking.

"This is something I need to do alone. If I find him," she gulped when she heard the words "if" come out of her mouth, opening her eyes to see the impending storm out over the horizon and how the lightning, wind, and waves didn't look in favor of anyone who was flying at sea. But she couldn't think like that. "When I find him," she stressed instead after a long pause. "I need to face him alone, I have to."

"And how do you propose to get there?" Sokka added. "Taking Appa probably isn't the smartest way to travel through enemy territory…alone." Katara began to smile.

"So you'll let me go?" She asked a little too hopefully.

"I didn't say that." He muttered with his over-protective look looming under his lashes. Katara just sucked her teeth, shaking her head and walking up to him.

"I'm going alone, Sokka, I need to take this trip on my own, and I will find a way one way or another." She told him, quietly so only the two of them could hear. Sokka pursed his lips and looked down at her.

"I don't want you getting hurt. Its enemy territory and you don't know your way around any of it."

"So I'll take one of your maps you bought at the market." Katara countered.

"You won't be able to use your water bending."

"I'll have to deal."

"And you can't go around and get revenge on every jerky fire bender you find, around there it's normal." Katara sighed.

"I know, Sokka, I just…I need this." Sokka didn't know what to say, even after starring at her for a minute.

"Dad, take care of this, please." Sokka finally said, walking away and placing his palms on his forehead. Hakoda walked up, placing a gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"This is a dangerous choice your making." He told her.

"And so was the one Aang made, but I know he did it because he felt he had to, and now I feel I have to do this." She exhaled shakily. "When I find him, I…I-I don't know." Hakoda smiled, he knew that longing and confused look in his daughters very well. She looked the same as her mother did when she wore that exact same look. Katara snapped up from her short lived daze when Hakoda pulled her against him in a bruising hug.

"I want you to be careful." He told her softly.

"Wh-what?" Katara asked shakily, snapping her head up to look at her father.

"What!?" Sokka exclaimed, equally surprised.

"When you find him, tell him, okay?" Hakoda told her, pacing a soft kiss on her forehead before letting her go. Katara felt the need to ask the meaning of Hakoda's words, but she didn't.

And that's what was the most confusing.

Sooooo? You like? Angst, Kataang, and character development ensues.

Actually, I feel like nothing structured happen in this chapter, so if you feel this way you're not alone. This installment was more of a mere set up for the rest of the story. That's why I tagged it as a prologue and not an actual chapter.

So look out for installment two next Friday, peoples.

Reviews are most welcome.