Sigh. The small noise filled the otherwise silent room as Katara set down her hands. She was so frustrated with herself, why didn't he wake up? Even a groan would be better than this horrible silence. Ever since Azula had shot him with lightning Katara had been working herself sick trying to heal Aang. Funny, she thought, it took only a split second for Azula to bring him down and here she was three weeks later, still fixing the damage.
She had done all she could for the moment, so she decided to leave the claustrophobic room for a quick stroll on deck. Her brother and father's plan had worked brilliantly. All of their crew was safe, well fed, and completely unsuspected by fire nation patrols. This was the safest she had been in months so why wasn't she happy?
Her gaze caught one of the returning messenger hawks as it majestically drifted down to the roost. She thought about how Aang looked so worry free and utterly in control while he was flying, and suddenly her chest tightened with a surge of foreign and complex emotions. Katara could almost line them all up now, sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, but there was one that she still could not wrap her head around. It felt like, like some kind of longing. But for what? She remembered feeling like this when her father left, but this pain was deeper, more close to her heart.
She pushed the reviere away. Daydreaming about what could be wouldn't help Aang, or her for that matter. What she could do, is keep trying to heal him and keep the crew together on this long voyage to the fire nation.
"Hey sugar queen, I see you finally got enough of twinkle toes' chest". Toph had surprised Katara, and she almost missed the slight, almost. Katara rubbed her temples and said "Toph, I'm doing everything I can to save him, why do you have to push me around?" Toph changed tones, noting Katara's reaction "Hey, we all know you're doing your best, but it doesn't take eyes to see that you really care about him". With that Toph simply turned and walked back down the corridor.
Katara started to follow, witty remark in hand, but she just sighed and went over to the railing. She was simply exhausted, both physically and emotionally. All she wanted was for Aang to come back to her, to laugh that stupid laugh, to smile that stupid smile, and to make her heart race like it did every time he looked at her.
She stayed pensive as she gazed out over the glittering waves and listened to the thrum of the engines. This was what gave her peace, the push and pull of the ocean, the slightly salty sea air. There was just one piece missing, but it felt like that one piece was the one that would bring down her whole house of cards. She tried to water bend a little, just to take her mind off of the world, but her heart wasn't in it. She could not get over the growing despair and now the ever increasing want that threatened to consume her entirely. It was with more that a little huffing and puffing that she made her way slowly back to her quarters.
Sleep came slowly to her like it had ever since that night above Ba Sing Se. The cot was comfy, but sleep eluded her nevertheless. When it finally did find her, it carried many dreams, the most common of which was watching Aang fall. Katara had never felt more helpless in her life, and spirits, she hoped she never would again.
Katara groggily sat up, there was no way she would be able to get back to sleep after that. Still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she made her way to Aang's quarters, if she couldn't sleep at least she could help him. She opened the door and saw no one else but Aang, as usual. His hair had grown in thick and almost completely covered his arrow. With a deep breath to collect herself Katara took some water from the nearby bowl and began her usual task.
As the steady stream of water went back and forth over Aangs heart Katara was entranced by the repetitive action of the water. She could feel her eyes fighting to stay open, and then she heard it. It was just barely audible on the silent ship, but she had heard it, she had definitely heard it. In the smallest voice she could have imagined Aang had uttered "Katara" with all the fondness and affection possible.
Katara bent the water back into the bowl and laid her head on his chest. She listened to the steady rise and fall of his breathing. She knew, without a doubt that he would be okay. That she would be okay. And maybe one day, they could be okay together.