What If?

What if the crystals in The Cave of Two Lovers didn't light up? What would become of Aang and Katara?

The young airbender and waterbender continued their search for the exit of the almost-impossible maze. They said nothing to each other the entire time. After Aang's slight stupidity of accidently going against Katara's idea of kissing him, he found it too shameful to even say anything at this point.

Many minutes passed, and eventually, it was already almost two full hours of walking aimlessly through the cave, which meant bad news for them and their single torch.

Finally, Aang found his voice again. He knew and vowed to himself that he would not say anything so idiotic like he did before.

"We're gonna run out of light any second now, aren't we?" He asked her in a sad and tired tone.

"I think so." Katara replied, with just as much disappointment and tiredness in her voice.

"Then what are going to do?"

Katara turned to face him. "What can we do?"

Without warning or thinking, Katara put her hand on top of the hand of his that was holding the torch, and she kept it there as he looked up into her blue eyes with a smile and a look that held all of the love in the world, as she gazed back into his grey ones.

Moments pass, and both knew their time was becoming limited. Both prayed in their minds that perhaps just one… simple kiss would help them get out of this dark cave…

Katara began to question her idea of kissing him again during those few moments of gazing at each other in silence. She thought it was a bad and too much of a crazy idea, but perhaps she was being proven wrong here as she looked deep into those sparkling, beautiful grey eyes that called and begged for her to move a few more inches closer. Perhaps her idea wasn't so crazy after all. It wasn't just that she wanted to oblige the curse and try to believe in the power of love just so they could escape and get out of there. It wasn't just that anymore. She really did believe in the power of love and she knew now that she suggested that they kiss for only two good reasons: One, she wanted to. Two….

…She loved him. More than anything else in the entire world. And she wanted to share that fact with him with just this one kiss…

The torch flame began to dim, and time was running out. They had to do this. Both were shy, though. But both were eager and wanting to feel each other's lips more than ever.

Both Aang and Katara's hearts were about to jump out of their chests as they inched toward each other, then paused, their eyes bidding shut before leaning forward again, the flame dimming out completely and then it was gone. In the dark silence, they continued ever-so-slowly. The only sounds were their fast-beating hearts and deep, warm breathing as their lips slowly parted and then connected.

Aang's heart then skipped several beats, as well as Katara's. As their lips remained in contact, they had totally forgotten that they were hoping for something to happen that would lead to their escape. Both decided, instead, to focus on the now, and to cherish this moment and make it last, for they did not know when or if they would ever have this kind of chance again in the future.

Aang thoughtlessly wrapped his arms around Katara's waist, dropping the torch in the process, and pulled her closer to him as she brought her palms to his cheeks. Over and over again, they repeated the same routine: Kiss and part, kiss and part.

"Katara," Aang quietly murmured between their light kisses. Each time they parted, he chanted her name, in need and want, and in the most loving way possible.

Suddenly, Appa groaned. With a slight smacking sound, Aang and Katara broke away and looked over in the direction of the groaning of the bison. It wasn't until then that the couple discovered that nothing had happened. Their shoulders dropped.

With a kiss even that passionate and romantic, it affected nothing, to their astonishment.

"It's okay, Appa, we'll be fine." Katara reminded the giant beast as she walked over to him and felt for his fur before stroking it softly. Appa groaned once more and laid down. Katara sat down with him against the side of his fur coat. Aang followed and sat down next to her.

"Well, it's pitch black, and we've ran out of light. Now what?" She asked with a sigh.

"I don't know," Aang huddled against his knees. "I don't know."

Katara's head suddenly jolted up. "Aang, you can make a fire! You're the avatar, can't you make a breath of fire or something for the torch?"

Aang suddenly had a pained and guilty expression. "No. And I'm sure. And even if I did, I wouldn't even risk using it. It's too dangerous, and I can't risk hurting you. I'm never going to firebend again. I can't. For your sake."

Katara raised an eyebrow at this. "But Aang, you forget—I have healing abilities. Even if something bad happened again, I can take care of myself—"

"But it would still be my fault, entirely."

"Aang," Katara sighed. "You'll have to learn firebending at some point. It's part of the Avatar's duty. It's something you were born and destined to learn, and something you can't run away from." She urged.

She couldn't see it, but she felt his hand on top of hers right then, and she let him entwine their fingers. Out of the silence, his voice spoke again, gently:

"Never again. I'm never going to hurt you ever again or be stupid and careless like I was during that incident. Never again."

Well, here's chapter one of "What If?". ^_^ Hope you all liked it so far. Buwahahaa I'm totally twisting the plot around. ;D How evil is that? 8D

I know Aang and Katara probably didn't exactly kiss in The Cave of Two Lovers, but that's okay. I decided to make it happen anyway. :3 R&R Plz!