Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender
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Aang sat on the floor, staring into the fireplace. The fire was the only source of light in the room. He could hear the celebrations going on outside, and yet he stayed inside…alone, in the dark. He sighed.
The war was over! The century-old struggle for power was ended! People around the world were rejoicing! Everyone had counted on him to end the war; he had been the world's only hope…but he had defeated the Firelord, with the help of his friends, and brought harmony back to the four nations.
So why wasn't he happy?
Katara and Firelord Zuko are to be married. That's why you're unhappy: You never got to tell her you loved her, and now she's found someone else. The voice in his head just wouldn't go away!
Aang tried to think of something else: ANYTHING ELSE!!!
He pushed the negative thoughts away and focused on the first thing that came to mind: the Swamp.
What had Hue said? 'Everything in the world is connected.'
Well, that has a chance of being true now! Especially the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation royal family…
Aang shoved the thought away. What else had Hue said? 'In the Swamp, we see people from the past: people we loved.
Aang had said, 'Time is an illusion…so it's someone I will meet!"
Suddenly, a connection formed in his head. 'People you had seen; people you had loved'… 'People you will see'… People you will love?
He remembered the vision of Toph jumping from rock to rock in the Swamp. She was smiling and laughing…He recalled the connection he had felt with her, and the overpowering urge to chase her across the Swamp.
A voice startled him out of his thoughts.
"What're you doing in here all alone, Twinkle Toes?" Aang's Earthbending instructor walked over and sat down next to him.
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Katara was worried about Aang. Since the announcement of her engagement, her friend had been quiet and withdrawn. He hadn't been involved in a real conversation in the past three days, and he had spent less than five minutes at the engagement celebration. He didn't say anything to anyone, and when asked a question, all anyone got were one or two word answers.
She had finally managed to get away from the party and was looking for him. Maybe if she dragged him back to the party he would cheer up and be his old self again…
She finally went to Aang's room, hopeless. She had been looking for twenty minutes! If he wasn't here, she decided it would be best if she went back to the celebration before she was-
Katara was cut off in the middle of her train of thought when she opened the door to find Aang and Toph kissing. Aang hadn't seen her, and Toph either didn't notice her or didn't care.
Katara quietly backed out and closed the door softly. She was pretty sure Aang was going to be fine.