He had to keep hope. This wasn't the end. It couldn't be.
The war was over; it had been for quite some time. Everyone had gone their separate ways after that, but Katara and Aang stayed together.
That night they were taking a walk near their remote home in the earth kingdom, enjoying the blazing sunset. Aang grabbed onto Katara, opened his glider and flew her to the cape overlooking the ocean.
Katara's enthralled laughter echoed in Aang's mind. "It's so beautiful, Aang! The ocean's so blue, and this sunset is magnificent... It's amazing." She trailed off and turned to look at Aang. "It's perfect. I really think we're going to enjoy this place." Aang pulled her in close and lightly pressed his lips against hers.
"I'm glad." They looked into each other's eyes and smiled contentedly. "I love you so much, Ka—" Aang was cut off when a burst of flame hurtled into Katara. She let out a pained wail and fell to the ground; clutching her torso.
A fire colony rebel darted from the trees and lashed a fire whip at Aang. He jumped over the flaming tendril and landed behind the man. Aang pushed the man off the cliff with a strong gust of air and turned to Katara. She wasn't moving.
Three more fire benders emerged from the forest, all eyeing Aang apprehensively. Aang adjusted his stance and began to raise water up the sides of the cliff. The men let out deep battle cries and lunged toward Aang, hurling fire balls in his direction. He quickly raised a wave of water and crashed it down on the men. Aang swept his arm down towards the ground and swirled the water and earth together. The men squirmed and fought, trying to escape the muddy prison, but Aang couldn't forgive them for... Katara! He covered the men's heads with the mud and sealed the ground, then raced over to Katara.
"Katara, can you hear me? Please wake up. Talk to me!" He desperately felt for her pulse, and was relieved to find a weak—but present—heartbeat. Her robe was burnt through; Aang gingerly lifted it from her skin. He could tell there was severe internal bleeding, and the force of the attack had broken most of her ribs. Horrific burns flared across Katara's body.
"Aang..." Katara weakly whispered his name. "Aang, Is that you?" Her eyes widened as she whimpered and shuddered with pain.
"I'll go get help, Katara. You're going to be just fine." Inside, Aang was panicking. They were miles from the nearest town. Even if he were to make it there with Katara, what could the healers do for her? Katara wasn't fooled.
"Aang, just stay here by me." Blood trickled down her chin, and Aang wiped it up as a lump formed in his throat. He grasped her hand tightly and forced himself to keep a positive face. Her hand was shaking, and becoming colder. Death was approaching.
Aang laughed and reminisced with her about the adventures they had preceding the war, and she weakly laughed along. They stayed there and remembered the good times they had; penguin sledding, their visit to Kyoshi, Sokka, Toph; everything good they could remember. While they spoke, it began to rain.
"It's as if the skies are weeping.." Aang muttered angrily as his tears mixed with the rain.
Katara squeezed Aang's hand. "We'll see each other again."
He sat down and scooped her into his lap. He held her tight to his body, trying to keep her warm. "Stay with me, Katara… please" He said shakily.
She lifted a quivering hand to his cheek. "It will be okay. You'll find someone else. You'll be happy. I promise."
"I don't want to be with anyone else. I can't be with anyone else! Katara, please!"
"One day, after you've lived a fulfilling life, we will be together again. Be strong until then. I love you, Aang."
"I love you, Katara..."
She closed her eyes and took one last ragged breath. Katara's hand went limp in Aang's.
"No... NO!" Aang felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest. Aang began to sob and held Katara's lifeless body to his chest; anguished cries coming from his shaking lips. He felt a sadness he had never experienced in his life, and he sat there holding Katara for hours before escaping across the water; running her back home.
-
Over the next few months after Katara's death, Aang fell into a deep depression. He hardly ate, drank, or slept. All he could do was think of Katara. After the funeral, he returned to the Cave of Two Lovers and closed off the entrances to passerby. He remembered the first time they kissed. ...Katara...
The next few years passed painfully slow. The only time he ever left his home, the place Katara had once called perfect, was to attend important peace meetings. He ignored the advances of any woman who tried to charm him. Katara was his true love, and although she told him he would find another, Aang believed this to be impossible. He knew in his heart that he could only love her.
One night, Aang was returning home from a conference at the North Pole. He wistfully gazed up at the stars, and the moon. He wondered if she was watching over him; if she would understand why he felt so miserable despite what she had wanted for him—a fulfilling life. The full moon reminded him of Katara; it had been exactly three years since her death.
Then, out of nowhere, a blazing fireball pierced the black sky as a boat marked with the old fire nation insignia launched a bomb at Aang's ship. It struck the bough, causing Aang to fall into the endless sea.
The massive ship turned over and produced a wave that completely engulfed Aang. At first, he struggled and fought against the waves. He had pushed his lungs to the limit, but could not find the ocean's surface. He tried to live... But then he thought of Katara once more. Aang stopped moving and let the waves overtake him.
-
Aang woke to a bright light. Once his eyes adjusted he realized he was in a bright room, with impressive tapestries on the walls, and detailed reliefs of avatars and rulers scattered the place. He felt younger; rejuvenated. Aang felt a presence behind him.
"Aang..." Aang just stood there. He had these dreams too many times before. He no longer allowed himself to become hopeful at the sound of Katara's voice. She was gone.
"Aang!" Her tinkling laugh echoed against the walls as she walked around to face Aang. His eyes widened. No way.
Right in front of him stood the most beautiful woman in the universe. She wore a long, flowing, silk white dress that flowed onto the floor. Her skin glowed in the heavenly light that surrounded her and her long, dark locks flowed down her back.
"K..Katara?" Aang was frozen. She laughed again.
"I've miss you" Her eyes dropped from his gaze, "I'm sorry that you've been so miserable."
Aang ran forward and wrapped his arms around Katara; he never wanted to let go. Tears started streaming down his cheeks as he buried his face into her shoulder. This incredible happiness was the first emotion he had been able to feel in three years. He took in every detail of her before pulling them into a passionate kiss. Their lips melded together as they expressed the loneliness and sadness they had felt from being separated for so long. They parted reluctantly and stared into each other's eyes. Katara's hair rustled with the draft in the room, and her eyes shined brighter than ever against the light. She was so unfathomably beautiful that Aang had to kiss her again to make sure she wouldn't disappear before him.
Aang realized he wasn't wearing his usual robes anymore. They were very similar but white, with gold stitching. They hung off one side and came up across his chest. Just like his usual avatar robes.
Katara giggled innocently, and Aang melted. "Do you want to see where we are?" Katara excitedly grabbed Aang's hand and rushed him outside. They were in one room of an incredibly large temple atop thick clouds. They were in heaven.
But Aang could have done without the intricate temple. All that mattered was that he was with Katara. He held his angel in his arms. This angel that he loved with every fiber of his being. This angel that he had been through so much with, and whom he had loved from the moment he laid eyes upon her. Their love for each other was unimaginably resilient. It had weathered even the toughest of situations, and it would bind them together for all of eternity.
Aang and Katara were together once again. Then and forever. Him and his beautiful angel.