DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN avatar or any of its characters. If I did, Zutara would have happened XD. A:tLA belongs to Nick, Viacom and Mike and Bryan.
AFTERLIFE PART I
AfterLife Chapter 1
Katara started the day that would change her life just as she would any other. When she woke up, before she even opened her eyes, she listened. As she heard the water lapping against the starboard side of the Southern Belle, felt it rock her gently, she smiled. She rose from her bed and dressed. That day, she chose a deep blue gown with a tiered skirt and off-the-shoulder straps.
Katara tied her mother's necklace on, thinking of the woman who had once worn it. She'd barely known her mother when she died of a fever when Katara was four and her brother, Sokka, was five. One month later, their grief-stricken father went back to doing what he always had done: captaining ships, and he took his children with him!
As Katara made her way up to the deck, she ran into one of the younger sailors; a boy named Aang, who was never without his sailor hat.
"Oh, h-hi, Katara," the little boy stuttered, his pale cheeks flushing.
"Good morning, Aang, what brings you here?" Katara didn't understand why he was blushing so much.
"Oh! I came to fetch you, as a matter of fact. Your father wants you up on deck. We have a big storm coming, and we need all the help we can get to batten down the hatches."
"No problem!"

Aang was right about the storm. There were signs of its approach everywhere. The air felt so thick with humidity, almost ready to burst into rain. The sky was darkened with deep gray clouds. Katara found her father shouting directions up to Teo in the Crow's Nest. When he saw his daughter, a smile immediately transformed his weathered face. He pulled his youngest child into a loving embrace, not caring what his men would think.
"Good morning, Sweetie. Did Aang find you?"
"Good morning, Papa. And yes, bumped into him on my way up here, as a matter of fact. What can I do to help?"
"Hmm, let's see.... Why don't you help your brother tie down those barrels of fish over there?" he asked
"Of course!" Katara replied, running over to her brother.
Sokka wore his long hair back in a ponytail as he worked, determined to get his job done with no distractions. He welcomed his little sister's help.
"For some weird reason Aang kept blushing when he came to get me,"
said Katara, puzzled.
Sokka chuckled. "Haven't you figured it out yet?"
"Figured out what?" Katara asked, frustrated.
"Come on, Katara. He's sweet on you."
"What?!"
"He likes you, Katara,"said Sokka, smiling.
"No. He's only what... twelve? He's way too young."
"You're never too young to fall in love," said a new voice. Katara turned to see Jet and his friends Smellerbee and Longshot.
"Oh! H-hello, Jet," Katara greeted him, slightly flustered. She threw Sokka a venomous look when she heard him trying not to laugh. Jet was just a friend. A very good looking friend.
"Hey, Katara. So what are you two talking about?"
"Aang. Sokka says he's in love with me," Katara threw another glare at her brother.
"I don't see why he wouldn't be. Why, a beautiful, talented girl like you? Who wouldn't love you?" Jet's smile took Katara's breath away.
"Well, I-" Katara began.
"Why don't you just admit it, Katara? You're beautiful," Jet cut in, reaching for her hand, only to drop it when he heard a loud cough from Sokka.
Mere seconds later, lightning flashed across the sky, thunder soon accompanying it. Rain pelted them from the sky, which was now as dark as night. The deck was soon flooded. Sailors ran about in chaos, trying their best to secure whatever stray items they could.
"Forget the cargo! Save yourselves! Go belo-ow!" Hakoda shouted as the ship rocked violently beneath his feet.
Many members of the crew, including Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee, rushed to the hatch concealing the descending stairs, but many more stayed on deck, determined to do their jobs.
"Didn't you hear me?! Leave the cargo! Go!" The captain bellowed. Many more men scrambled to their cabins.
In her ten years of seafaring, Katara had seen many a squall, but none like this. She felt as though the rain were lashing her. The boat's violent swaying made it difficult for her to run to her father.
"Katara! What did I say?! Go to your cabin! Save yourself!" Hakoda shouted at the sight at the sight of his daughter.
"I won't until you do!" Katara shouted above the squall, embracing him.
"I can't afford to lose you," he replied. "I've already lost one person I love, and I won't lose any more."
"I agree with Katara, Dad," Sokka chimed in. They turned to see him behind them, his hair soaked. "I'm not going below deck until you do."
"Alright then," Hakoda surrendered. "Let's go the-en!" He slipped on the flooded deck, sliding as the boat tipped sideways.
"Father!" Katara and Sokka cried simultaneously, reaching for the man's hand. Sokka got to him first, only to be pulled down with him.
"No!" Katara cried, reaching for her only family, but they slipped further and further away from her-
"No!" She cried, running after them, but slipping in the process. She hit the deck hard, a terrible pain erupting in her leg. Still she limped, only to continue falling. She heard a crack and the pain intensified. Her father and brother were nowhere to be seen. She sneezed, shivering in the cold, wet rain. She wished her father were there to wrap a blanket around her, to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright. But he and Sokka were probably drifting out to sea. As she wept and coughed, Katara slowly slipped out of consciousness, the last thing she saw being a nearby bolt of lightning, a burning smell coming with it.