Just another oneshot by me, forgetmenot45. The idea presented in this fic just occurred to me today, and I had to write it before I lost it. It's a little long for a oneshot, but I started writing it and this is just how it ended up. You know how sometimes you write something and it ends up kind of different then you originally intended? Yeah.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the name Kya. They were going to have that be Katara's name in the series but they changed it.
She was delighted when Kya was born. Holding the tiny figure in her arms, she smiled down upon this miniature person that she had helped to create. Pale skin, unlike hers, graced the newborn's being, and a soft, brown tuft of hair was growing out of her adorable head. She came out sleeping, the little girl did, and it wasn't until she woke up a few minutes later that Katara could peer into her eyes and feel pride swell up within her, a pride that came from seeing Kya's beautiful eyes. Blue eyes -- a trait she'd inherited from her mother.
He was delighted too, when his firstborn came into the world. Hovering over her like an anxious toddler, he reached out his arms and asked his wife without words if he could hold her. A loving smile spread across her face, and she gently lifted the bundle into his arms.
"An airbender," he said almost immediately after taking hold of his child. A proud smile graced his lips as well. "I know; I can feel it."
Katara could only smile back in response. She didn't marry him to help save the airbender race; no, she married him because she loved him. But she was sure that the two of them meeting and journeying together for all those years wasn't coincidental, or an accident, they were destined to be together. It was fate that saved the airbenders, they were just its humble servants.
She was always watching, it seemed, simply watching as Kya grew up and learned about her heritage. They lived in a small home in Ba Sing Se to be near the recently married Sokka and Toph, yes, but they had connections to just about everywhere else. Her mother was a waterbender, a master at that, and her father was an airbender. But not just an airbender, no, he was the Avatar, the last airbender. The last one, that is, until she was born.
It was one night that they were laying together in bed when Aang commented that Kya was awake. Sure enough, they saw her shadow pass by their door as the two-year-old girl headed toward the kitchen, her motives unknown. Katara started to get out of bed, stating how she wouldn't have known; the girl's footsteps are so light against the floor. He could only smile, saying, "She's an airbender." Katara could only smile back as she softly opened the door to go retrieve her sneaky daughter.
It was amazing to have saved the race of people, and for that, Katara was eternally grateful. And yet she couldn't help but look into Kya's eyes -- her blue eyes -- and wish that she would have a child that inherited her looks, her nature… her bending abilities. She would always shake the feeling off though, telling herself not to be so selfish, and to be thankful that she was the one the fates had chosen to help raise up a new generation that echoed of the past.
News spread fast once Kya showed signs of bending abilities. Aang claimed that he knew right from the start -- he did, after all -- but of course no one could be certain until evidence had been found. Sokka and Toph came to visit their niece, commenting on how much she looked like Aang, rejoicing that the airbenders had been saved, but worrying as well what the future would hold for this soon to be famous child.
"You two are such over-achievers," Sokka had teased in so characteristic a manner. "Saving the world wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to go and save the airbenders, too."
"You do realize that you're not out of the woods yet," Toph said, bringing in the cold, hard truth, as was so natural of her. "Kya will have to get married one day and have some air bending children of her own. It's going to be a slow process."
Toph was right. But it wasn't true that they were only planning on having one child. Katara and Aang knew saving the airbenders would be a slow and steady process. They also knew they would probably only live to see the airbenders go as far as their grandchildren. But just knowing that they touched the future was good enough for them.
And yet, their marriage was so much more than just 'saving the airbenders'. They truly loved each other, and those days spent lazing around together, just enjoying each other's presence as they stared off into space -- those days were not to be ignored. Nor were the nights they would spend whispering to each other, their faces so close they were almost touching; talking about the days of their childhood and the years yet to come, and how wonderful it would all be. It was with a flustered blush on her face that Katara remembered the first time they spent a romantic evening together, the first time they kissed, the first time she ran her hands along his soft skin, tracing the arrows that were tattooed onto his body.
It was one of those nights, when the stars outside seemed to twinkle with a personality of their own, and the breeze seemed to whisper stories of tales-now-turned-legends, that Katara and Aang lay talking in bed. Three-year-old Kya was fast asleep in her room, the room right next to her parents, clutching a handmade doll in her tiny hands. Her tiny hands that would one day work wonders with air, just like her father. It was that night that Katara decided to tell Aang.
"Aang," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "I have some news."
"Me too," he answered. "But you first."
"Oh, you do?" she asked, ignoring his request that she go first. "Is it good news?"
"Uh…" he hesitated, eyes breaking the gaze they once held. "Not really. Is your news good news?"
"Yes," she said, but her voiced was filled with concern. "But what's going on?"
"You first," he insisted. Despite being told that he had bad news, Katara was too happy for her own news, and gave in.
"I'm pregnant," she said, looking deep into his eyes. "We're having another baby!"
"Katara!" he breathed. "That's wonderful!" Cradling her face, he pulled her into a deep kiss. She kissed him back, for a second forgetting that there was still bad news to be told.
"Now, tell me your news," she said when they pulled away. His happy expression faded, but his hands continued to hold her face, as if to shield her from what he was about to say.
"I need to go away for a while," he started. "A rebellion broke out in the Fire Nation. Again."
"Go away?" she said, bringing her hand up to hold his as it pressed against her head. "But I'm pregnant again. I need you here with me." Her eyes started shimmering with tears, though they did not spill down her face.
"I won't be too long," he said. "Two weeks at most. I've already talked to Sokka about it. You can stay with him and Toph while I'm gone." He smiled, trying to make her feel better as he said, "I'm sure Kya will love to play with her new cousin," he commented, referring to the boy Toph had just given birth to the month before.
"Can't Zuko just send his soldiers to suppress it?" Katara asked, knowing that no matter what she came up with, Aang would still be leaving her. It strangely comforted her, though, to know that she was at least trying, as futile as her efforts were.
Aang sighed. "No, the riot is refusing to listen. They're even fighting back. I'm afraid the only way to settle this is with the help of the Avatar." After Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated, Zuko took his place on the throne. To mark the beginning of his reign, he called all the armies back from where they were fighting, officially ending the war, if Ozai's death already hadn't. There were still a few extreme groups in the Fire Nation, though, even these many years later, that believed the propaganda used during the war itself; the propaganda that said the people of the Fire Nation were superior to all other races and deserved to rule over them. Lately they had sprung up with such a vengeance that even the Fire Lord was having trouble quieting them.
"I'll try to be back as fast as I can, I promise," Aang said, stroking her hair.
A couple days later, Aang left for the Fire Nation, turning around to wave at his wife and daughter as they stood outside Sokka and Toph's house. Tears brimming her eyes, Katara watched him go as she held Kya in her arms. Placing one hand over her womb, she wondered if the new baby would be an airbender as well.
"Come here, Kya," Sokka cooed, reaching out to take his niece in his arms. "Katara," he said, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Come on, let's go inside. It'll be fine. Aang's coming back in two weeks, just like he said. Have you ever known him to not keep a promise?"
"No," Katara admitted, a small smile gracing her face. Sokka always knew what to say to make her feel better.
"Let's go inside then," he said as he started heading back to the house. "Be quiet though, Toph and the baby are sleeping."
Katara went inside and sat down in a comfortable chair, staring at the fire place that currently had no flames or logs in it. She wondered if her brother and Toph ever used it at all; it looked very new and unused. Sokka walked over and placed Kya in Katara's arms.
"I'm going to go check on them," he said, motioning toward the bedroom where Toph and their son lay sleeping. "Feel free to do anything you want to." She nodded as Sokka turned around and made his way into the bedroom.
"Where's daddy?" Kya asked, speaking for the first time about her father all day.
"He went away for a little bit. He's going to visit someone. He'll be back soon," Katara said.
"Oh," was all Kya said. Her question had been answered, and she was satisfied. She snuggled against her mother, sucking her thumb as her eyes started to close with sleep. Katara leaned back in the chair, glancing at the bedroom where Toph was supposedly sleeping. Sokka had left the door open a little bit -- just enough for Katara to see inside.
She watched as her brother gently sat down next to his wife after stopping by the cradle to admire his son. He just sat there, looking at her with a peaceful expression on his face. Katara wondered if Aang ever did that to her.
At that moment, Toph woke up, though she didn't sit up, and touched her hand to Sokka's arm.
"What are you doing?" she asked in a tone that was so very much like her, Katara couldn't help but smile.
"Just looking at you," he responded, obviously unaware that his sister was watching.
Toph paused for a second before responding. "You're so weird," she finally said, and Sokka chuckled. He didn't say anything in response, but leaned down and brought her into a kiss, a kiss that Toph obviously returned as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.
Katara looked away, blushing a little as she felt she shouldn't have been spying on them. She rested her head on top of her daughter's, who was now sleeping. Her mind wandering back to her unborn baby, she closed her eyes in thought, debating whether or not this one would be a boy or a girl … a waterbender or an airbender.
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"But it's almost time," Katara insisted as Aang readied his pack and looked around desperately for his staff. Kya held worriedly onto her mother's leg, not exactly sure what was going on. Katara pressed one hand against her now bulging middle and placed her other hand on Aang's shoulder.
"Can't Zuko keep it down for just a week or two?" Katara insisted. "The baby is due any day now…"
"Zuko has been keeping it down for a while now," Aang said. "For as long as possible. Those people in the rebellion just don't respect him as a Fire Lord. They only listen to the Avatar."
"But Aang, what's the point? You'll do the same thing you've been doing for the past nine months. You'll go down there, talk to them about it, they'll agree to stop, and then fighting will break out again a few weeks later."
"This time, they're going to listen," Aang said. "I'll make them listen."
"How are you going to do that?" Katara questioned, but Aang didn't answer. "Aang, please," she said, feeling as though she would start crying any minute. "Don't do this to me. Don't make me deliver this baby alone."
"You won't be alone," he said, stopping long enough to stare into her eyes. "I'm coming back, I promise. Even if I have to travel all night without sleeping, I'll make it here for the baby. Besides," he said, smiling softly. "I'm always with you, no matter what." They came into a passionate kiss, despite the fact that Kya was still clutching Katara's leg.
"Uh, Avatar Aang?" the Fire Nation messenger who had brought news of the sudden rebellion coughed slightly, signaling that they needed to leave immediately. Aang turned and nodded at him. Looking back into Katara's eyes for a second, he said goodbye, but didn't leave without first picking up Kya and giving her a kiss, and telling her that he loved her.
With that, Aang left, and Katara stood motionless for a minute or two even after he was out of sight, merely staring into the empty horizon.
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It was impossible. It had to be. Not Aang. Not her Aang.
He isn't dead, she kept telling herself even hours after the news came. He said he'd be back. He promised. Aang never breaks a promise.
Unaware of it, she was silently rocking back and forth in her chair, hugging herself when Sokka came into the room, his eyes red, his face tired looking. Toph trailed behind him, holding her sleeping son in her arms. Kya was asleep in Sokka and Toph's bed. She had been for a while now. Nobody had told her what happened to her daddy yet.
"Katara," Sokka said, trying to be of some comfort. At the mention of her name, fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She was surprised she still had some left in her. She refused to look Sokka in the face. Rubbing her hands on her bulging stomach, she started speaking in a broken voice.
"It was a trap. It was a trap," she repeated. "How could they do that to him? How could they be such horrible people?" She stared into nothing, and Sokka reached out to ease her rocking.
"Once a firebender, always a firebender," Sokka said, teeth gritted as he expressed his distrust of the Fire Nation, even after the war.
"But it wasn't his fault," Katara said, referring to Zuko, thinking that Sokka was blaming the Fire Lord. "He tried to stop it. They didn't listen." She paused, not thinking too clearly before she spoke. "But they killed him, Sokka! They killed him. Aang. My Aang. He's gone." She looked into her brother's eyes for the first time since he approached her. "Why do they hate him?" She questioned, not expecting an answer. "He was just trying to help."
Sokka rubbed his sister's back, not sure what to say. It was true; the rebellion had grown powerful and wily enough to trick even the Avatar. They knew he'd come if they sent a fake messenger in the Fire Lord's name. They knew he would arrive as soon as he could to try and restore the balance. They knew they could pretend to accept a peaceful meeting with him. They also knew he wouldn't feel the second or third arrows after they launched the first one into his back.
The air was eerily silent for a moment or two. It was finally broken when a sniffle was heard from Toph. Sokka turned to look at his wife, whose eyes had managed to stay dry up to this point. Tears were now spilling down her face.
"I'm gonna miss you, Twinkle Toes…" she sobbed, calling Aang the nickname that she hadn't used in years.
Sokka wrapped one arm around his wife, who proceeded to cry into his shoulder, waking up their baby. He continued rubbing Katara's back with his other hand. At that moment, a squeaking was heard as Kya opened the bedroom door.
"Mommy?" she questioned, rubbing her eye with one hand. Her mother turned to look at her with swollen eyes, her face crumpling up with despair when she saw her daughter. Her daughter who looked so much like him.
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"Is this right, mom?" a seven-year-old Gyatso asked as he moved his arms rhythmically, swirling and twirling the water around in a circle before him. Katara nodded approvingly at her son.
"Good job," she said. "I think you've got the hang of it." Gyatso, as her and Aang had agreed to name the baby had it been a boy, was born just a week after Aang left for the Fire Nation. After he left, and never came back. Katara had to live with Toph and Sokka for a while afterwards, but they were glad to have her for as long as she needed to stay.
Gyatso was a waterbender, every single one of his traits mimicking that of his mother, except his soft, gray eyes. Katara had gotten a waterbending baby just like she always wanted. But now, her daughter Kya, was the last airbender in the world. Her and Aang had helped saved the race, but the rest would be up to Kya.
Gyatso slowly let the water fall back into the large bowl that sat on the floor in their house. Looking up at his mother, his gray eyes took on a questioning look as he asked, "Mom, where's Kya?"
"I believe she is outside playing with some of her friends," Katara answered. She chuckled after that. "Probably showing off the air scooter to them again."
Gyatso's face darkened when Katara mentioned her daughter's bending abilities. "What's the matter?" she asked her son when she saw his reaction.
"Everything's always about Kya," he said, crossing his arms. "Just because she's the last airbender in the whole world, just like dad was."
Katara smiled softly. "I know it doesn't seem like much, Gyatso, especially since she's only a bothersome older sister in your eyes. But to the rest of the world, she's the last hope for ever restoring balance to the world by starting another nation."
"Just like dad, again," Gyatso said, sighing. "Mom, you always talk about how great dad was; what a wonderful Avatar and husband he was. If Kya's just like him, then she's just as great. So, what does that make me? Why can't I be like daddy, too?"
She looked at him with a pained expression, though he wasn't sure what she was thinking. He continued to speak since she was silent.
"Does Kya remember daddy?" he asked, his voice taking on a softer, more mature sounding tone.
"No, Gyatso," Katara said.
"Do you remember daddy?" his soft gray eyes bore into her very being, penetrating her soul and speaking to her in a way that she couldn't understand.
"I…" she wanted to say yes, of course she did, but there was something about her son; something about his gaze that she couldn't put her finger on. "I'll be right back, Gyatso," She ran into her room and shut the door behind her, remembering the visit from three, wise sages she had received just a year after her son had been born. She had let them into the house, Sokka and Toph's house, though the two had gone out for the night and left their son in her care. All three of the children were asleep though, so the meeting had to be very quiet.
"Your husband has been dead for a year," the waterbender sage started. "Although when he died, he was not in the Avatar state."
Katara only nodded, not sure at the time what this old man was talking about.
"Which means the cycle continues," the earthbender sage continued. "Water is the next element in line."
"Your son was born a week after Avatar Aang died," the firebender sage spoke. "Is he a bender?"
"I - I don't know yet. He's only a year old," Katara had answered. Her heart started to pound and her mind started racing. Were these men suggesting that Gyatso was the next Avatar?
Katara fingered her necklace, as she had a habit of doing when she was nervous or afraid. She went to sit down on her bed, the words of the sages echoing in her mind. Once they had left the house, she had stayed up all night worrying and wondering about what they said. What if it was true? What if Gyatso was the Avatar?
Opening her door slowly, Katara peeked out and watched Gyatso as he flawlessly bended the water out of the basin and began swirling it around his body. For one so young, he was quite talented. Could it be true? Her mind wandered back to the last words Aang had said to her before he left that day.
"I'm coming back, I promise. Even if I have to travel all night without sleeping, I'll make it here for the baby. Besides, I'm always with you, no matter what."
"Aang never breaks a promise," she whispered to herself. Smiling gently, she looked wistfully at her son. Her daughter may be the last airbender, she may be very similar to Aang in appearance and bending ability, but his spirit truly lived in Gyatso.
The young boy looked at his mother as she watched him from behind the door. "Mom?" he asked curiously, not seeming to care that she was spying on him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
She waited a second or two before responding.
"You are special, Gyatso," she finally said, smiling at him. "More than you know."
Gyatso merely shrugged and went back to his bending. Katara closed the door smiled to herself.
"Special," she couldn't help but whisper. "Just like Daddy."