Save Me From the Fire

Oneshot for Firebending Raid

AU

by Katara7


The leaves used to be green, but they changed colors. They were now a swirl of brown, red, yellow, and orange. Each individual leaf had the same colors, but they were all unique in their own special way. While one leaf had the four colors separated into different corners, another leaf was completely brown with splotches of orange and yellow. One leaf even had red polka dots on a mix of yellow and gold.

These fascinating leaves were hanging on regular brown trees, that were living in a nearby park. Katara, a brown-haired, blue-eyed, young girl, loved coming to the park to stare at the leaves. She stood there one day in front of a small pond, watching a particular all-gold leaf rip from a branch and dance slowly to the ground, where it landed peacefully on the pond and created ripples in the water.

The girl grinned to herself. Nature was such a wonderful thing! But sometimes it got lonely; in the park, enjoying nature, by yourself. Katara sighed and wished that she had a friend with her. A second later, her wish came true, and Aang, a black-haired, grey-eyed, young boy with a blue aroow tattoo on his forehead came striding in Katara's direction.

Katara looked up at him and beamed. Aang had been her best friend since forever ago, when they were just kids. Now they were older, 14 and 16, and they were still best friends. But sometimes Katara wished that they could be more then just friends. She secretly like him- a lot. She couldn't remember what age she was when she started liking him; all she knew is that one day, Katara realized how mysterious and hypnotizing Aang's grey eyes were. Ever since then, she had developed a longing attraction for him.

As Aang came closer, Karara's smile faded into a frown. How could she ever tell Aang her true feelings for him? If she did, and Aang didn't like her back, that would ruin their friendship! They could never be best friends if Aang knew Katara had a crush on him. That would be so awkward... and of course, it would break Katara's heart if Aang knew she liked him, he told her he didn't like her back, but he still acted kind toward her. She would rather keep her crush a secret then have her heart broken and torn apart.

Finally Aang met with Katara, and he pulled her into a hug. Once he realized Katara wasn't hugging him back, he pulled apart and observed her face. Then he frowned. Why was Katara not happy to see him? Had he done something wrong? Maybe he'd interrupted her.

Katara put on a fake smile for her best friend, but he knew it was false. Should he ask her if she was okay? Or should he wait and let her tell him on her own terms? Sometimes Katara confused Aang a lot, even though they were best friends.

Out of no where, there was a loud BOOM! sound, intense heat, and Katara and Aang were thrown back like cannon balls. Aang slammed into a tree, and then fell to the ground, his head spinning. The air was getting hotter and hotter, and after Aang regained conciseness, he opened his eyes and stumbled to his knees. Looking around dizzily, he gasped. The entire park was on fire!

What had happened! It sounded like an explosion, but how did it happen? Aang suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach... that was when he realized Katara was no where in sight.

There was no time to lose. The boy jumped up, stumbled, and then searched through the fiery fallen trees, branches, and rubble. Where was she? Then he spotted a blob of blue in the distance. Katara had been wearing a blue shirt!

Aang ran as fast as he could towards a huge oak tree that had crushed the ground where it had fallen. The whole thing was on fire, and on the other side, he saw Katara. She was on the ground, stumbling to get up.

Besides the huge oak tree, Katara was surrounded by a ring of fire. Aang caught his breath. How could he go in and save her? She was trapped!

Something deep inside his heart started heating up. He could do this.

It was melting his insides like fire. He could do this!

It was burning his entire body! He could do this!

Aang's hand suddenly flew to the air and formed a fist. He punched the air. Suddenly that part of burning flames danced away, and there was a small opening in the ring. How the heck did he do that?

He did it again. And again. He took control of the the fire and bent it; pushing it out of the way. Sweat was dripping down his neck and forehead. He was burning up, but he had to save Katara from the fire.

He wouldn't leave her.

Aang jumped in the air and circled the fire over his head, then he smashed it to the ground away from his girl. It exploded into the air and thinned into smoke. There was no more fire around Katara. She was free.

The boy fell to the ground. He was weakened, but he kept going. He ran towards Katara and grabbed hold of her. He took her in her arms and carried her away from the fire. He stumbled toward the road, where a fire truck was parked, and fire men were helping other people and spraying the fire with a giant hose.

Aang was almost there. He could feel himself about to fall, but he pushed himself to go farther. He had to save Katara, whether he survived or not.

He stumbled to the ground, and he pushed Katara to the rode. Fire men appeared and caught Katara, laying her down on a bed with wheels and rushing her to an ambulance. Aang was on the ground. No energy left in his soul. Too weak to do anything. But he smiled happily, tears in his eyes.

Katara was safe.

A second later he realized he was on a bed with wheels, and fire men were pushing him towards an ambulance. Then he was on another bed, inside a small white compartment, next to another bed with Katara in it. Then he had a mask over his mouth. Then he felt the ambulance speeding on the rode, people rushing around and saving his life, saving Katara's life.

He looked over at his best friend, and she looked over at him. They glazed into each other's eyes.

They smiled at each other, both having tears stream down their cheeks. Simultaneously, Aang told Katara he loved her. Simultaneously, Katara told Aang she loved him.

Then Katara said something out loud. Through all the noise, all the yelling, the siren, the car racing, Aang heard her perfectly clear.

"Thank you for saving me...from the fire."