"Goodbye… Aang." Her blue eyes bore into his.

"Katara…" he touched her cheek with the back of his hand. She closed her eyes and leaned into it. "Goodbye," he whispered.

They gave each other a hug that seemed like seconds but it lasted minutes. She wanted to hold onto him for that much longer. Just before he flew away they gave each other a small smile. And then he was gone. Tears stung her eyes. Katara had to bite her lower lip to keep it from trembling. She turned and ran to her brother and friends through the darkness. The only light a comet, dimly tinting everything a deep red.

The Waterbender threw her self into her brother's arms. He was taken aback.

"Katara, what is it?" he patted her awkwardly on the head.

"He's going to sacrifice himself!" she looked up at him, her eyes streaming. Toph quickly looked away and Suki looked down both frowning. The swift change in movement causes Katara to look in their direction. "What?" Katara had the feeling they weren't telling her something.

"Katara…" Sokka started. But the only trace of sadness left on her face was the tears. Her expression was Anger. "You knew-?!" she started.

"He told us you needed to--"

"You knew and you weren't gonna tell me?" she pushed him away from her. She ran in the direction she came, searching the skies, calling his name. "Aang! Aang!" He couldn't leave her. Not yet. Not before he knew. "Aang! Aang! AAN--" she bumped into something. Someone.

"Katara!? What are you doing here?" he asked. She grimly answered with another question.

"What are you doing here, Zuko?"

"I-"

"Don't answer me. I know why. To keep me from finding him again. Well, you can't stop me!"

"Katara-- Wait" he turned her around to face him and put his hand on her shoulders.

"He told you… didn't he?" Hot tears rolled down her cheeks again. Zuko let go of her as she fell to the ground. She lay on her side in a ball, her body shaking with uncontrollable pain and rage. "he can't…" the words escaped her lips before she could stop them.

"Katara-" he started to reach for her hut her expression became angry once again and again she ran off. "Katara!" his calls after her were useless.

"Aang! Aang! Aa--!" The near-darkness was illuminated by a flashing ray of blue light. She gave a sigh before crumbling to the ground.

-----------------------

Aang had been ignoring the cries of his name with reluctance until he saw the blue light. And the cries stopped. What happened next was as if in slow-motion. He turned his head a split-second before he turned his glider around.

Silence rung in his ears but his thoughts were clouding his mind.

Don't let her be dead. Don't let her be dead. It's my fault if she's dead.

She couldn't leave him. Not yet. Not before she knew.

"Katara…"

"Aang?"

"I'm here" tears filled his eyes.

"Can you do something for me?"

"Anything." his voice shook.

"Kiss me. Before I go."

"Don't talk like that. You'll stay --

"No. Please. I-" she hissed with pain. A groan escaped her lips "I can't hold on… much longer. Please. Just do it." She knew what he was thinking. She was thinking it too. But they both knew it wasn't true. The airbender slowly leaned towards her.

His lips pressed against hers, and for only a moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them. No one else. Their tears mixed together but that didn't matter either. Nothing mattered.

He had to tell her. He pulled away from her and whispered "I love you" but this time his voice was steady. Her eyes opened the tiniest bit. She looked into his wide grey eyes.

"I love you too."

As they kissed one last time, she passed. Tears forever staining her cheeks.

"Goodbye…"Aang whispered.

"Goodbye Love."