A/N: Oh my goodness! I haven't posted for so long. I apologize from the deepest depths of my heart. I'm sorta banned from the computer, so... hopefully you know how that is and have it in you to forgive me. The seventeenth chapter in The Oracle and a continuation of Fire Academy will be up this week and I am SO, SO sorry I haven't put it up sooner. Thank you for understanding, to those who do. Again, I am very sorry!

By the way, this story is just a little sniglet of something that could've happened between Sokka's Master and The Beach, since besides that little shot of Katara clutching onto Aang after his first encounter with Combustion Man she doesn't really interact with him.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters within it.

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Our Harmony

I noticed when he strode past me. That "Aang" scent drifted from him like a cobweb that catches on someone's clothes, revealing itself to no one but the sharp eye. My head began to pound, and instinctively I pressed my fingers to my temple, but as soon as the smell was gone, so was the rapid internal thumping. It took me a moment to realize this strange sensation that I passed off as a head rush was becoming more and more frequent.

It was a very long day today. I was still quite amazed that a master swordsman from the Fire Nation would allow Sokka to train, even knowing that he wasn't from the same cultural back round. I guess not all people here are horrible. There is probably good in half the people living in this corrupted hell-hole—they're just hard to find.

Aang stopped when he was before Appa and patted him softly on the snout. Appa's big, glorious eyes were a whirlpool of emotions that lay upon the airbender with tenderness. For some reason I couldn't stop staring at the boy and his bison during their little private moment. I found myself on the bridge of insanity when it came to Aang—lately I seemed to constantly watch him.

The young Avatar seemed so peaceful at the moment—his smile reminding me of the good days when all the journey was about was getting to the North Pole to learn waterbending. None of this 'end of the world, abolish the Fire Lord, world's last hope' kind of thing. Aang really was forced to grow up. And though the person he matured into is one of the most intellectual and caring people I have ever met, he shouldn't have been launched into this terrifying war and practically thrown on the front porch of Death's door with nothing but a pitchfork to protect himself.

Aang must have sensed my gaze, for he turned around and leaned against Appa in a matter so charming, yet eloquently sweet. His gray eyes stumbled upon mine in a slow flurry and I couldn't help smiling a little in return to the brilliant grin he flashed me. Suddenly a rush of euphoria emptied itself into me and I felt slightly light-headed again in my increasingly comfortable place on the ground. I watched intently as the Avatar's black hair rustled over the tattoo on his forehead and he used the hand that wasn't supporting him against Appa to sweep his bangs from his eyes.

He slowly, and maybe even cautiously, came toward me, and I noticed his bison's line of sight as I lay with my hands holding my head up. Appa was looking right at me and his head bobbed once—up, then down—before something resembling a small smile came across his mouth. As the bison settled himself on the ground, Aang reached my spot and stood before me.

Then, as I offered him to join me and he asked me what I was doing, I realized something. All of these symptoms I was experiencing—all these weird things—weren't due to a sickness or hunger or food poisoning. They were strangely familiar. They've been occurring since before the Fire Nation, and before Ba Sing Se, and before The Northern Water Tribe. My intuitions would tell me that I was simply falling for—wait. I shook my head and subconsciously I heard Aang ask me if I was okay, but I didn't respond. All I could think in my head was,

No. No, no, no, no, no.

And then I thought of all the significant things the two of us had been through.

My head began to spin. Aunt Wu's village and her predictions that seemed to always come true. Then, the most explanatory scene replayed in my mind with perfect tempo. What was it that Sokka had told me that day after the volcano erupted and before we left town?

Aang placed a warm hand on my back as if to comfort me in my own memories. My body simply froze up, save for my heart, which was fluttering so fast I could almost hear my own veins circulating the substance that keeps me alive. And I felt sick. Really sick.

But then, I wanted to tell him. For a reason unknown to me, I wanted to share this new information that I loved... well... it wasn't really new information, but I wanted to share it all the same. I guess, I always knew I loved him.

This thought brought me a little closer to present day.

A certain Avatar had the most adorable blush on his face that shimmered and flickered slightly in the luminescence of the white candle settled in my palm. He stuttered before answering my ridiculous question, which, if I do say so myself, didn't really seem so ridiculous at the time. The way he phrased putting 'us' and 'kissing' in the same sentence made me naturally assume the thought was as much of a turn-off to him as I made it seem it was to me. I suppose if I was a little less dependent on his opinion at the time, it wouldn't have been as hard to throw the suggestion out there.

"Katara?" he asked softly, an attempt to wake me from my deep thought. I caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned to face him completely, the smile I thought was there seemed to disappear. I chewed my bottom lip and when his eyes held mine in their place, time stopped.

I leaned forward, only a little bit, but in that short stretch, I could feel Aang's breath across my face. He didn't move, though I caught him swallow hard before I pulled my arms around him and brought him into a warm hug.

"Katara?" he repeated, hesitantly wrapping his arms around me as well.

"I'm going with you, right?" I asked, pretty sure he'd have no idea what I was talking about. I was right.

"What?"

I wasn't really sure how I wanted to say this. I knew he wanted to do things alone, but it just seemed like everything we've been through, we've been through together.

"During the invasion," I stated firmly. "I... I want to go with you."

I released him and he tilted his head.

"I don't know. I don't want to talk about this."

Everything he's done to come this far involved me in someway. I had to experience this with him. This was the final stretch in the battle, and although it was still a few weeks away, I wanted assurance now.

I wanted to give him courage and I hoped to be his outlet when the time came down to it. We had a lot ahead of us and when this eclipse comes, I will be there for him no matter what he needs.

"Sorry," I whispered lowly, looking away from him.

"For what?"

A smile snuck up on me and I shot forward quickly to peck him on the cheek.

Ignoring his question, I spoke once more. "C'mon—let's practice some waterbending before we go to bed."

I got up and he followed suit with a pale shade of a blush on his face.

I believe in him, whether he wanted me with him during the showdown or not. And after this world finds its harmony once again, maybe we can find ours together.