Chapter 1 – The Windblown Temple

The clouds outside of Aang's window blew by softly with the summer breeze. The Avatar watched his lemur, Momo, flying through the clouds creating soft spirals. I made Aang remember what it was like to be young again. A smile twitched on Aang's lips and his gaze left the window for a moment, but only to find his glider leaning against the wall. He grabbed it quickly, flicked open the wings, and he jumped from the Southern Air Temple window. The wind blew in his face and Aang smile grew. Pulling his feet up onto the back of the glider, Aang began to glide next to Momo, who chattered at him.

The Southern Air Temple rushed beneath Aang as he flew overhead. He saw the workers below him waving up as they saw him fly by. He laughed aloud, waving back with his infectious smile. Momo chattered at them too, although the meanings of his words were lost. The mountains that rose around them reminded Aang of what the temple had been like when he had lived here with the monks. He was the last airbender and also the avatar. He had felt obligated to rebuild his society.

After the war had ended the four nations were brought to peace again. The Earth Kingdom rebuilt Omashu and started to heal their burnt countryside. The Northern Water Tribe had sent members to its sister tribe, in order to rebuild their once powerful nation. The Fire Nation, under the rule of Fire Lord Zuko, was helping the Earth King with healing his nation. Zuko had made a lot of changes and had been freeing many imprisoned earth benders. He had been bringing families back together. As for Aang, he felt that he should go to rebuild what was left of the Air Nomad Temples, in order to rebuild the airbending nation. He and Katara had left the Earth Kingdom, with a number of volunteers, and had come to the Southern Air Temple to begin. It had been 8 years since they had come to the ruins and already it was looking like Aang remembered it. He couldn't be any happier.

After Aang had flown over the builders a few more times he began an ascent to the top of the air temple, where he and Katara had made a garden together. The clouds whipped around him and Momo as they raced towards the top. Just as they reached the highest room Aang landed on the roof, looking down into the open garden. Momo perched on his shoulder, chattering until Aang silenced him with a harsh "Ssh!" Katara was sitting in the garden. Her eyes closed and little droplets of water floating around her like frozen rain.

Since Aang ended the war, Katara had not been using her water bending skills in very many battles. She had taken to healing people right away before fighting. She and Aang had come across a few rogue firebenders, who still thought Lord Ozai was alive, but they dealt with them quickly. Aang usually found her meditating at the Air Temple, as though she thought she could heal it too. He found himself loving her thoughtfulness more everyday. He also found that she had been getting more beautiful, which he had never thought possible.

Slowly floating down from the roof, Aang landed in the garden gently. He walked slowly towards where Katara sat, hoping to scare her. Momo leapt from Aang's shoulders and flew to a nearby fruit plant, taking some of the delicious purple fruit. Katara's eyes opened at the sound of his chattering and a smile stretched across her relaxed face. Aang jumped behind one of the larger trees in the garden still hoping to scare her. Katara's smile was frozen in his mind, like a magnificent painted picture. He hoped it would last forever.

"Aang?" He heard her strong voice calling. It was like a song when she spoke his name. "C'mon, I know that you're here," Aang heard her footsteps creeping around the garden. She was listening for him. Toph must have taught her a thing or two, Aang thought. As she moved around the garden, Aang made a quick dash to one of the outer walls. Unluckily, Katara's hearing was much better than he had anticipated. Katara turned around quickly, bending the water in the pond. She fashioned four needles out of ice and she threw them towards Aang. The needles hit the wall with a loud crunch, catching pieces of Aang's shirt against the wall. Aang was dumbstruck, as he tried to pull free from the wall. The needles were unmoveable.

"There you are," Katara said, almost lovingly. Aang had been a little worried at first, but now that Katara was approaching him he knew that being stuck to the wall was the best place he could be. "Didn't you know that Momo would be a dead giveaway?"

"Umm…" Aang was lost for words, once again struck by her beauty. "I guess it just slipped my mind. I mean I really wasn't trying that hard." Aang felt himself blush a bit. He had been caught off guard, that was for sure. Katara laughed and walked right up to Aang. Her face was so close to his. He knew if he leaned in their lips would meet, but he was completely stuck.

"To think," Katara began, leaning a little bit closer. "That I, a simple water bender, could catch the Avatar off his guard." She was so close and Aang had never wanted her more. He looked into her deep blue eyes and he knew she felt the same. Her smile said it all. He wanted to run his finger through her hair and pull her towards him.

"Simple water bender?" He said, breathily. "More like master." Aang was about to say more, but he was muffled by Katara's kiss. It was so sweet and it filled Aang with joy. As she pulled away his eyes lit up and the needles melted, freeing his body. She giggled like a little girl and Aang was about to drag her in for another kiss, when they were rudely interrupted.

One of the builders came bursting through the door, with a small scroll in his hand. He was dressed in his earth kingdom clothes. They were old and ragged, but they still had hints of green and brown in the colours. The man was tall, with a thin beard on his face. His hair was beginning to grey, but that was only from stress, not age.

"Avatar!" He called. "There's a message for you from the Southern Water Tribe." Aang shook his head, wishing he had a little more alone time, but it was time to be the Avatar now. Katara's eyes laughed at him as he walked to where the builder stood. She walked back into the garden and sat down next to the pond to watch the koi fish swim around each other. Aang took the scroll from the man, thanking him. He slowly unrolled it. Momo came to sit on his shoulder as though to read to, although he did not understand the strange language.

"Katara," Aang called with excitement in his voice. "It's from Suki! She says that her and Sokka plan to arrive here any day now. They've come for a small visit, but Sokka wants a ride up the mountain on Appa." The last comment, about Katara's brother, made her laugh again. She ran to Aang hugging him.

"That's fantastic! We'll have to make sure that their room is ready for them when they arrive." With those words Katara ran back into the temple with a skip in her step. She had never been happier than her days with Aang at the Air Temple, but she still missed her tribe and her brother. Aang watched her go and a smile twitching at his face again. He turned to Momo, looking almost grim. He had missed his chance. If only he hadn't been distracted by that builder. At least the man brought good news with him, Aang thought.

"When am I going to tell her now, Momo?" He asked the lemur, although he expected nothing in reply.