Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA…. But like everyone else, I wish I did.
Chapter One: Hurt
"The greatest pain that comes from love is loving someone you can never have."
Aang slowly pulled back from the kiss he had shared with Katara, and looked at her with a look of deep love and content on his face, but what he saw confused him. Katara had began to cry and faced away from Aang, guilt and disappointment manifest on her face.
"Katara, wh-" He was cut off by her running back towards the balcony door of the Jasmine Dragon, and quickly making her way out the front door into the streets of Ba Sing Se. Aang started to make his way after her, but as he made his way off of the balcony, he felt an ever so familiar over-protective hand slam him on the wall. Before Aang could do anything, Sokka spat out,
"What did you do to my sister?"
Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo
Katara ran as fast as she could through the streets of the upper ring, not caring where she was going, just wanting to get away from the tea shop, or rather Aang. Katara finally came to a stop in the front of the familiar house given to Team Avatar when they arrived in Ba Sing Se for the first time. Katara ran her fingers across the door before opening it to find an apparently empty house. Good, She thought to herself, hoping to find some time to herself to think. She thought about what had happened in the Jasmine Dragon, and more importantly, what had happened after defeating Azula.
-Flashback-
Katara ran over to Zuko and swiftly knelt and bended the water out of her water skin. She quickly bended the water over her hands and placed them on Zuko's abdomen and began to heal the wound, hoping she wasn't too late to save him. It worked. Zuko slowly opened his eyes, and with great effort smiled and said, "Thank you, Katara."
Katara couldn't help but cry as she looked back down at Zuko, knowing her friend would be okay, and replied, "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." And at that moment, Katara realized, that something clicked between them. Zuko had been there to help her find peace of mind and find her mother's killer. Zuko had been the one who had taken the lightning for her. This is someone who went out of their way to prove to her that they wanted to be her friend, and maybe something more (She now hoped). The only thing stopping her, was her now-distant feelings for Aang.
-End Flashback-
Katara continued to ponder over these conflicting feelings, and tried her best to find a way out of this. She spent so many months protecting and helping Aang, and yet now, she felt like she was the one who had ultimately brought him down. She had another problem though, she hadn't told Zuko or Aang about her newfound feelings. She also had no idea how or who to pick, and was afraid of losing either of them to heartbreak. And as she sat there, her answer walked through the door.
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After finally getting Sokka to calm down, Aang explained what had happened exactly. "And then she ran away… I'm as clueless as you, Sokka." Aang said with a downcast look on his face. By this time, the rest of Team Avatar (excluding Katara, of course) had beome active in the conversation.
"Did you say something about the way she looked?"
"Meh, she'll get over it."
"I'm bored."
"Are you SURE it wasn't you fault?"
"Would anyone like some more tea? It's Ginseng!"
Zuko couldn't handle all of the commotion and questioning going on, so he quietly slipped out the front door, not drawing anyone attention. As the questions continued, Aang was becoming more and more nervous. He had just about enough until Toph decided to step in.
"Would you all give him some damn space to breathe? If he says he doesn't know why Katara ran off, I'm sure Twinkle Toes DOESN'T KNOW!" She crossed her arms and glared in the general direction of everyone questioning Aang, and smirked when she was aware that everyone had stopped talking. "Now, I think Twinkle Toes should get off of his butt and go and find Katara, and make things right!" More silence. "Well, what are you waiting for? GO!" Aang didn't need to be told a third time. He jumped up and ran out the front door, headed in no particular direction, in search of Katara.
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He checked in the local restaurants, the palace, and even the alleyways of the upper ring. It was beginning to get dark as he came out of a prestigious-looking hotel with no luck on finding Katara. Just as he was about to give up, he thought of one last place she could be. She has to be there, he thought to himself as he changed his course one last time. Aang climbed on his glider and began heading for their house in the upper ring. Aang flew over the various houses in the area he thought his house was in, and quickly spotted the area Toph had blown off in eagerness to 'break some rules'. Aang descended and slowly walked up to the door and he thought he could make out some sniffling and choked sobs from a broken Katara. Aang brought his hand to the door, but quickly pulled back due to still being shaken from the last time he had seen Katara earlier at the tea shop. Aang finally built up some courage, laid his glider up against the outside wall, and slowly reached for the doorknob. Aang slowly opened the door to a pitch-black room. Aang firebended a small flame into his hand, and began his search for Katara in the dark room. It didn't take him long to spot the broken waterbender, and when he did, he was thoroughly surprised by what he saw.