Second Chance
I tend to get carried away with explanations so in my attempt to keep this short I'll try sticking to the basics. I've always liked the idea of Time Loops, in this case I'm just going with one second chance at life. My main character will be Katara whom, at the end of her life in her old age, will receive a second chance to do things over.
Now, just as a heads up, I don't actually remember much of the original Avatar and am currently rewatching the series WHILE I write this so if some things seem a little weird that's why. I'm actually more of a Korra fan and haven't seen Avatar in several years. Having that said I'm also changing things up, as anyone getting a redo in life would, so while Katara's first chance at life will be her cannon self from both The Last Airbender as well as Korra, her second chance will vary.
•••000•••
Blue eyes at half mast gaze dreamily at the swirling patterns of the ceiling above. Old lungs pull in air, a rhythmic pattern as soothing as the calm oceans outside her window.
Katara knew this day was coming, had known for years that she would pass on after the birth of her third great grandchild. Even now, she could feel her energy slowly slipping away, that path between worlds that young Korra had connected in ages past calling out to her in a way it never had before.
Katara would die soon.
She knew she would, and though she would be leaving many loved ones behind, she did not regret a thing. She would miss them dearly yes, but while there were loved ones in this world there were just as many in the next. Loved ones that had been waiting for her for far too long as it was.
Who was she to keep them waiting?
And so, with a soft sigh, she drift off to sleep knowing that when next she woke a new adventure would begin…
Or so it was supposed to go. She really should have remembered that some great power out there had chosen her as its personal play thing and that events in her life never turned out quite the way she thought they would. For instead of some outer body experience as Tenzin explained spiritual embodiment to be, or even Aangs smiling face as he reached out to her from the other side, she instead finds herself pulling in another breath of cool air. Cool air that, for the first time in much too long, does not send a mild ache through her bones.
So she decides to experiment and rolls over, only to yelp sharply as her withered frame, which has become increasingly difficult to move, suddenly decides to react far faster than she expects.
Katara moans softly, rubbing the arm she has fallen on, then blinks in shock. For her old hands are no longer wrinkled, her long fingers now quite a bit shorter. She pulls her sleeves back, slides her hands over her face, her arms, her legs. She even goes as far as pulling her shirt up to feel her chest… because the wrinkles are gone, not even a slight crease remains.
Her skin is flawless, taunt as it had been back in her prime, though perhaps not quite as full. She waves her hand, bending the snow around her into water and freezes it solid, checking her reflection in the glassy surface. Sure enough, the face that greets her is not her own, at least not the one she remembered going to sleep with anyway.
Gone are the wrinkles and laugh lines, the grey hair and time worn teeth. In its place is the smooth skin of a dark haired child, full lipped and chubby cheeked. The only thing that remains of her old self are her eyes. The deep ocean blue, though much wider and brighter than they had eventually become, are still full of wisdom she has accumulated over the years.
She frowns, her child self mimicking in the ice. This shouldn't be possible. She was an old woman, a woman with children, grandchildren, great grandchildren even. A woman that had lived far beyond the expectancy of most, seen things others could only dream about. A woman that was far past her prime and utterly accepting of the end that should have been greeting her by now.
What in the world could have gone wrong? Had she made some sort of mistake somewhere along the way with this as her punishment?
"You always did worry too much."
Katara whirls around so fast she nearly gives herself whiplash, tripping over her own feet in her haste. For she recognizes this voice, knows it better than she knows herself, even if it's been DECADES since she's last heard it.
"Easy there."
She's scooped up by the armpits just before her face makes contact with the ground, the person clearly laughing at her clumsiness, but Katara can't find it in herself to care because finally, FINALLY, she has him back.
"I've missed you too." She can hear the smile in Aangs voice as he wraps her up in a hug with all the warmth of a firebender and gentleness of an airbender. "To be honest I'd like nothing more than to stay like this for the rest of eternity…"
"Then why don't you?" Katara's voice squeaks in that cute way only children can accomplish and suddenly Aang seems miles away even though they're still wrapped in each others arms.
"I can't." The Avatar mumbles sagely, mournfully.
"But why?!" She's crying now, starring up at him with wide imploring eyes.
"Because it's not what the fates had planned Katara. We've lived our lives because once a path is taken it must be traveled to the end, but the path we took turned out to be different from the one we were destined for."
"Aang, I don't understand?"
"I know. It's difficult to wrap your mind around, and even harder to explain, believe me. I've had a long time to let it sink in and I still have a hard time accepting it." Aang tightens his grip on her, burying his face in her soft hair. "I need you to listen now Katara, without interruptions, can you do that for me?"
She presses her nose against his collarbone, displeased by how she can barely reach that spot even on tiptoes.
"Good, cause I don't have much more time." He presses a finger to her lips, a soft smile on his own, grey eyes sparkling with amusement as he cuts off the protests he knew would follow. "Now, now, you promised." He waits until she settles before continuing. "You're getting a second chance Katara. A do-over really. A chance to set things right the way the fates have planned, and before you ask, cause I know you will, you can't do the same thing over again. I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me knowing that you love me enough to do things exactly the same as before but it just can't happen. The path of fate can only be walked once Katara, things can NOT be replicated, and not even I can get a third chance."
"But if I do that what will happen to us? What about Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin? What about all our grandchildren? Our great grandchildren?" Katara questioned, clinging tighter as he trailed off, refusing to look her in the eye. "No. Aang you can't seriously mean-"
"It's ok Katara. Just because things have to be different doesn't mean you'll never see them again. They just won't appear before you in the same way." Aang assured. "Things won't be exactly the same but that doesn't mean you'll loose what you had. Think of it like… a new adventure! One where you know most of what'll happen before hand so that you can do even better. Think of all the things you could change, all the people you can help."
"But I won't have you…"
"Oh Katara…" Aang sighed, that soft adoring smile on his lips that she missed so much. Had she been able to reach she would have kissed him. "This doesn't mean we have to loose each other, I'll still be there for you no matter what, just like you were always there for me. We may not be able to be lovers this time around but that doesn't mean we can't be friends."
"But Aang!"
"No more but's Katara. I have to go soon so listen. Though things will change, some may stay the same. You will remember the past so that you may change the future but that does not mean you will loose what you once had." Aang squeezed her gently. "Instead you'll be getting something even greater as long as you give it a chance. I know this will be hard for you but I also know that you're stronger than you think. We'll all get through this Katara, and though the end of the road my not be what you expected, it has the chance to be so much more."
"What if I don't want brighter? I like it just the way it is. I'm happy NOW, so why would I want to do things differently?"
"I thought you would say that…" Aang sighed, the sound obviously intended to be long suffering but coming out more affectionate than anything. "And that's why I'm giving you one last gift before I go."
Before the old woman turned girl could ask, he leaned down, kissing her gently, lips as soft as a feather. For a split second her mind encouraged her to lean forward, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind it vanished to the wind like a leaf among the breeze. He pulled away not moments later, a sad yet somehow excited look on his face that she couldn't quite understand.
"There, a little spirit magic to help things along. It might hurt some now, but the pain will fade soon, just as your love for me will fade away. You have a new chance at life Katara, don't waste it clinging to 'what was', live for the now, live for the new future. I'll still be with you, I'll always be with you, just not exactly the way I was before. I have to go now Katara, but I'll be seeing you again soon. There's another adventure waiting for us and I can't wait to see what happens next."
Big blue eyes that had slowly begun to sag since their kiss finally shut. The avatar smiled serenely, tucking her back beneath the furs of her bedding. He would miss her and the life they had had together, that he knew, but fate also had a funny way of making up for it. He had loved this girl dearly, as a wife, a mother, a lover, and now he would be able to love her in a new way. As a sister, a confidant, a best friend. He would always love her, just as she would always love him. Just, not the way they had planned.
•••000•••
Not gonna lie, I'm planning on a chaptered story for this later but I tend to get distracted easily. I almost never post anything anymore since I get distracted and never finish. So this time, since this chapter seems pretty good as a stand alone, I'm going to post this up in hopes that I will get the inspiration to continue it in the future and not cast it aside like I usually do.
In the mean time I'll leave what happens next up to your imagination. I'd like to see what ideas people come up with. As you can tell Katara will not end up with Aang this time around and I'd like to know what people think of that.
Also, this was not proof read so if you see any mistakes please let me know so that I can fix it later. Thank you.