Hi! I wrote this story back in May/June, so it was long before season three came out, so that's why I'm basically describing everything in the beginning, and it's a little different than what's going on in season three now. I just didn't feel like going through the whole thing and making it exactly how the show has it, so just bear with me!

One more thing before you start reading, in this story, there are tons of things that happen which would never happen in the show. I'm well aware of that. I just made certain things possible for the sake of the story… and frankly, I don't care! XD

Finally, I'd like to thank daydream11, my beta for reading over this as well as my other story I'm working on now. ;)

Disclaimer: If I owned Avatar, Katara and Aang would already be together…

It was a typical, boiling hot day in the Fire Nation. Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph were in their temporary home waiting for the eclipse so that the army, who had gone into hiding a few miles outside the Fire Nation, could infiltrate the city. They had been there only a week, and already they were bored out of their minds. To keep from being noticed, the four had been given new looks, including new clothes, hairstyles and identities; they allowed themselves out of the house only to get the basic necessities or in case of an emergency, so the foursome pretty much stayed indoors day after day... not that it bothered them or anything. Oh, no. The sweltering weather wasn't doing much good for their little family, so they were perfectly content with staying in their nice, cool home.

Their home was in a small, shabby part of the town where most of the people of the lower classes lived. Though they were far from the palace, the Earth Kingdom spies, who had been living in the city for the past few months, told the four that it would be best that they stay low, and away from the nobles... at least for now.

Their small home had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a teeny-tiny kitchen, and a decently sized living room. It was fairly comfortable, though there were often fights (usually between Katara and Sokka) for the bathroom.

One afternoon, Aang was found sitting on the back of a small, ancient looking chair that was situated beneath a window. He was staring sadly outside, his mind racing with thoughts of the coming battle. After about ten minutes or so, he heard a soft voice behind him say his name.

"Aang…?"

Aang turned around to see Katara, who had come to her friend's side. "Hey Katara," he whispered, his mouth set into a frown.

Katara frowned herself. Aang just hadn't been his usual happy-go-lucky self since they've arrived. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded, blatantly lying, as Katara sat down on one of the arms of the chair.

"It's just that... I'm worried about you." Aang turned his gaze away from his friend and stared back out the window.

Katara nodded her head understandingly. What with the final battle getting ever so closer, Aang having to leave Appa at the Western Air Temple for now, and him still looking for a Firebending teacher, who wouldn't be worried?

"Aang," Katara said very quietly. "It's going to be okay. You've pretty much mastered Earth, Water, and Airbending, and we'll find a Firebender teacher for you and you'll master that in no time! Plus, you've got friends who believe in you, and hundreds, no, thousands of people who believe in you too." She smiled reassuringly.

"Thanks Katara," he whispered.

The next few days went with no activity whatsoever and the days' routines were usually monotonous.

Aang would either close himself in his room for hours on end to meditate, or else he would practice his bending with Katara in the creek which was not too far behind their house, or maybe with Toph out of view in a wooded area, reducing the risk of being seen; Sokka would sometimes join the benders, mainly to watch or brandish his weapons at imaginary foes, or he would sometimes talk with Katara, Toph, and/or Aang, when they weren't bending, about certain battle strategies.

When Aang wasn't meditating or sleeping, Katara rarely left his side. She was Aang's source of comfort, completely. Once a week, she, along with whoever else wanted to go, would go to the market to get food and other necessities. Katara was like the mother of the house, as if the position had switched from the back of an oversized bison to a stable, shabby home. When Toph wasn't bending with Aang, she usually spent her days with Sokka (chatting, eating, and fighting... the usual stuff) or she may go with Katara on those rare days when they had shopping to do.

On this particular day, Aang had gone off in his bedroom and shut the door to meditate, Sokka had fallen asleep on one of the shabby couches, Toph was petting Momo, who lay in her lap, and Katara was clearing off the table of their lunch they had finished not too long before.

After washing the plates and putting them back into the cupboard, Katara sighed. She looked over at Sokka, still sound asleep with his mouth wide open and snoring loudly, and then Toph with Momo, who was starting to doze in her lap while the Earthbender gently stroked his fur. Katara looked around the small house to see what needed to be done. The house was already as close to spotless as it could possibly get, everyone was fed, they had more than enough food and supplies...

'Maybe I'll just see how Aang's doing,' she thought. Katara was too bored and desperate to find something to do that she had momentarily forgotten that Aang had asked not to be disturbed.

Over in Aang's room, things weren't as dull as things had been lately. Aang had just succeeded in entering the Spirit World; he was looking for Avatar Roku. He had to ask him about his potential Firebending teacher. Aang had no idea who could train him, and he didn't even know where he should start looking. As he walked along, Aang thought he heard a noise from what seemed like far away. It sounded like a door opening and closing.

'Strange,' he thought. 'What was that sound' He turned in the direction of the noise and he felt a sensation like someone was squeezing his heart. What on earth was Katara doing here in the Spirit World?

Katara looked around her. This was definitely not Aang and Sokka's room... it looked as though she was in some sort of swamp. Then it hit her: this was exactly how Aang described the Spirit World! Katara saw spirits of some strange creatures running or flying around, others were climbing up one of the many thick trees; she saw a spirit of a wise old man who took no notice of her, but just kept walking along. Not knowing what to do, Katara just stood there, rooted to the spot. Then she heard a voice calling to her.

"Katara…?"

Katara looked over to her right, and there was Aang, running as fast as he could towards her. "Aang," she said with a sigh of relief. Aang could help her get back to the Physical World.

Aang looked back at her with an almost disbelieving look on his face. "What are you doing here," he asked in a voice that hinted panic, "and how'd you get here?"

"I dunno," Katara answered truthfully. "I just came into the room to see how you were doing, and... I... I just ended up here for some reason..." She finished, looking around, still in awe about the new world she had just entered.

Aang put a hand to his forehead, thinking quickly. "Okay... we have to find a way to get you out of here. The Spirit World is very dangerous, and I don't want you to get hurt..." Aang looked around. There was no sign of an entrance or an exit to get Katara back. He cursed inaudibly before grabbing Katara's hand and started walking.

"Where are we going?" Katara asked him.

"We're gonna find Hei-Bai," Aang replied. "He helped me get out of here a while ago; maybe he'll help you too... just stay close to me."

Katara nodded, and then ran to Aang's side. They walked for a little while, Aang showing Katara some of the strange sites and some of the strange spirits, as they searched for the panda-like spirit.

About ten minutes later, without having any luck, Katara started complaining about being tired, so they rested against a large tree with a cave just a few yards away. As they sat, Aang thought of how to find Hei-Bai. Calling for him was too much of a risk. He didn't want to attract attention to him, especially not when Katara was with him. As many friends as he had in the Spirit World, there was always an enemy. Koh, for example, longed to steal Aang's face. All because a past reincarnation had tried to kill him hundreds of years ago when he stole the face of a loved one...

Aang dozed off, dreaming of himself as Avatar Kuruk. He was in the Spirit World, searching for Koh's lair, angry beyond all things. The old spirit had stolen his beautiful Ummi, his fiancée. As he finally walked up to his foe, wielding his weapon, Koh had turned to him, looking right at him. The face he was now wearing wasn't his usual white face with bright red lips, or Ummi's. The face was that of another young Water Tribe woman, who looked to be around the age of 14... Aang screamed himself awake as he jumped to his feet. He gave a sigh of relief as he realized that it was just a dream. Still, with a stab of panic, he noticed the cave he and Katara had decided to rest by. It was Koh's cave.

"Katara," Aang cried, "we have to get away from here now!" He turned to his friend, only to see that she was missing. "Katara…?" He frantically searched the area. "Katara," Aang called out again. There was no answer. Walking up to the entrance of the cave, he could sense that Katara was in there. (Call it an Avatar thing, but Aang had a sick feeling in his stomach…) Katara didn't know about Koh. She was in trouble!

Okay. Yeah. I know that if Katara walked in on Aang in the Spirit World, she'd just see him sitting there with his tattoos glowing and stuff. Like I said, I know all this is impossible (in the Avatar world). Just pretend all this can happen. kay? ;) The next part will be up in a sec!