A/N: I don't own the world of Avatar or any of its characters. The original characters are mine.

Hi there! I was in the middle writing Friends Again when this idea just came to me. For obvious reasons I couldn't post it until now. I hope it helps to establish Katara's frame of mind between FA and the sequel, Journey, but it also can be read as a stand alone piece.

The prologue to FA is helpful, but not necessary to reading this. I should at least mention this story takes place 5 years after the end of the TV series.


More Than Friends

She watched as the Fire Nation Palace got smaller and smaller as it retreated in the distance. A breeze caught her hair and she shivered. It wasn't particularly cold, but the emotions of the last few hours had drained her. After she'd received Sokka's emotional letter, and the unexpected comfort of Zuko, her mind was a little hazy.

"Are you alright Ambassador?" One of the crew of the war balloon she was now on, was looking at her with concern. Zuko had graciously lent her this transport so she could reach Kyoshi Island as fast as possible.

She smiled at the crewman's kindness. "I'm fine, and please call me Katara. Though, I would like to rest before we get there."

"Of course. I'll show you to your cabin." He stepped ahead of her and opened one of the metal doors with a squeak. "This way Lady Katara." He said as he stepped into the interior.

She rolled her eyes at his back. 'Why is it so blasted hard for people to call me Katara?' It seemed especially hard for anyone from the Fire Nation.

Katara spent the rest of the comparably short voyage asleep. She was roused when she felt the ship starting to descend.

****

After a smooth landing she was helped off the ship by a guard, as other crew members unloaded her things. She squinted at the setting sun on the horizon. Memories of the last time she'd been on this island flooded back to her. Sokka and Suki's wedding had been beautiful, but she had been distracted. She'd made the decision to call things off with Aang, and she hadn't been looking forward to that conversation.

Katara shook her head and started off towards the village. Even before her belongings had been fully unloaded. As she passed the statue of Avatar Kyoshi she noticed that the streets were deserted. She caught glimpses of faces peeking out windows and she sighed. "Hello? Can anyone tell me where I might find my brother?"

An aged and bearded man tentatively came out of one of the buildings. "Katara?"

She recognized the weathered face and hugged the old man affectionately. It was Oyagi, the retired former leader of the village. He gave her a look of recognition and returned the embrace. "Did you come in a Fire Nation vessel?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of his manners.

She smiled and nodded. "The Fire Lord lent it to me."

At that moment Katara was crushed into an exuberant bear hug. The hug was accompanied by a high-pitched vocalization of her name and a flood of giggles. Katara tried to catch her breath. "Ty Lee!"

The girl released her and smiled broadly. "It's so good to see you again Katara!"

"It's good to see you to." She became somber. "Sokka?"

The smile fell from Ty Lee's face. "I'll take you." The Kyoshi Warrior led Katara to a small hut at the far end of the village. She stopped when they reached the base of the steps. "You go ahead. He needs you."

Katara gave her a thankful look and squeezed her hand, then turned and ascended the stairs into the dark hut.

****

The outer room was lit with only a few small candles and the windows were all shuttered. "Hello?" Her voice sounded almost too loud in the stillness.

Sokka came out of one of the two adjoining rooms. Katara hardly recognized her brother. He was disheveled from apparently too many days in a row in the same clothes. His hair was falling out of it's traditional 'wolf tail', he was thinner, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

Tears pricked her blue orbs at the sight of him, she'd never seen him in this much pain.

Sokka stopped dead when he saw her. He rubbed his bleary eyes to make sure he was seeing clearly. "Katara? How...?"

She ran the few steps between them and wrapped her older brother in her arms. He crumpled into her and they sank onto a couch. Sokka let her hold him and it wasn't long before his tears started. Her silent tears followed his throaty sobs. She wondered if he'd let himself cry since Suki started having trouble with the baby.

It seemed like so very long ago she'd been in the Fire Nation and she'd received Sokka's message. He'd begged her to come help Suki. He was desperately afraid he was going to loose his wife and child. Katara hadn't been sure she could make it in time to be of help. In her sorrow she'd cried out her woes in Zuko's arms. He'd been a great comfort, an ever strong support.

So long ago... and yet only this morning.

Sokka quieted and withdrew from her. "How? I just sent you a message." he asked again, as he pressed the last of his tears away with the heel of his hand.

The corners of her mouth drew up as she brushed her own tears away. "I got the message this morning. Zuko let me use one of his airships to get me here faster."

"Zuko?" He said it with something akin to awe in his voice. He stood and took his sisters hands, pulling her up with him. "She's asleep, but come see her." He kept hold of one of her hands and led her into the room he'd come out of.

Suki was lying under blankets on a small bed near the only window, which was shuttered. A small lamp burned on a table next to her. A large bowl of water was sitting on the floor next to the bed. Katara wondered at the bowl, but moved to place a hand on Suki's sweat covered brow. "How long?" She knelt down next to her and looked up at Sokka.

He looked at his wife with a sour expression. "Four days. Maybe more." He ran his fingers through the hair escaping from it's bindings, which only caused more to come down. "It started with the cramping and then..." He waved a hand indicating the scene before them. "She may have been hiding it from me for longer." He couldn't keep a touch of bitterness from creeping into his voice.

Katara was about to ask another question when a man walked into the bedroom carrying towels and strips of cloth.

"Hey Sokka, your never going to believe this. I just saw a Fire Nation war balloon fly over. Isn't that the craziest... Oh. Hello." He'd been speaking softly so as not to disturb Suki, but he stopped when he noticed Katara.

She didn't recognize the man, but he obviously knew Sokka. But the thing that caught her attention the most was that he was wearing the colors of her Tribe. "Water Tribe?" She looked at her brother puzzled. She wasn't expecting any others from their tribe on this Earth Kingdom island.

Sokka looked at the man and then at his Sister. "Oh yeah, you two haven't met. Katara, this is Anyu. Anyu, this is my Sister Katara.

Anyu put his bundle down on a chair and bowed respectfully, giving her a bright smile. "I've heard so much about you Master Katara. It will be a pleasure working with you." Something dawned on him. "Ah, so you must've been responsible for the ship I saw."

She was a little thrown, but nodded her head. "Wor... working together?" She wasn't sure why it was suddenly hard to form words.

"Anyu's a Waterbending Healer. He's been helping Suki from the beginning." Sokka said tiredly.

Anyu walked over to put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Well, I've been trying to help. Suki's doing a lot of the fighting herself."

Sokka looked at him gratefully. Just then there was a moan from the bed. All eyes went to Suki.

Anyu went around and knelt on the other side of the bed and Sokka stood over Katara.

Katara summoned some water from the bowl and gloved both of her hands with it. "Anyu, could you pull back the covers?" she asked the man across from her.

No sooner had she said it than it was done. Katara placed one of her hands over Suki's feverish brow and the other over her womb. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the flows of energy. Her own, Suki's and the baby's. Soon the water around Katara's hands were glowing.

Anyu watched Katara transfixed. For years he'd heard respected Leaders, Healers and Masters speak of her with awe. Her power was legendary to their people. He never thought he'd actually get to meet her.

When Sokka'd told him he was writing a letter to get her to come, he had to admit he didn't believe the swordsman. When he voiced that opinion, Sokka had informed him she was his younger sister. It had blown Anyu away. The mental image he'd had of Master Katara was of a much older woman.

Looking at her now, he was never so happy to be wrong.

As Katara worked, Suki's moans stopped and she fell back into a peaceful sleep. Sokka sighed in relief. Katara lowered her hands and bent the water back into the bowl. She looked up at her brother. "She should sleep well for tonight." She saw him try to stifle a yawn. She stood and put a hand on his arm. "My order for you is to get some rest yourself."

Sokka opened his mouth to protest but he'd seen that look on her face before, and thought better of it. He shrugged his shoulders once, and reluctantly nodded.

She softened her tone a bit. "I'll stay with her tonight. Go sleep. You look like you need it."

Sokka stepped towards the door then spun around. "Thank you Katara." He pulled her into a hug. "I mean it. Thank you."

She squeezed him back, as her eyes threatened to tear once more. "Any time big Brother." He left her standing there and she heard him flop down on something in another room. Seconds later she heard his snores. She chuckled at how some things never change.

She sighed and started to rub a knot out of her neck. She jumped and let out a small squeak of surprise when a pair of strong hands joined hers on her shoulders.

"Here, let me help you." Anyu's quiet tenor voice slipped into her ears like drops of dew. She'd forgotten he was there.

She slid to the side and away from his hands. Now that they were both standing she could see that they were about the same height. She felt her cheeks heat."Um... That's okay. I'm fine, really." She thought she could see a brief look of hurt flicker over his face, but he recovered quickly. "Why don't you tell me what's been happening to Suki, and maybe we can come up with a game plan together." She gave him a smile and he instantly brightened.

They spent most of the night talking about Suki's care. Sometime near dawn Katara fell asleep sitting on the ground, half leaning on Suki's bed. Anyu picked her up and carried her to the couch in the outer room. He found a blanket, and after she was tucked in he paused a moment to brush a strand of hair away from her face. He knew he shouldn't be doing such an intimate thing, but she was just so beautiful, and he couldn't help himself.

Anyu sighed and decided that as soon a Sokka was awake, he'd go find the nearest river and jump into it.

The colder the better.

Katara woke midmorning alone. It took her sleep-ridden mind a few moments to remember where she was. She looked around the room and saw that sometime yesterday all of her bags had made it up from the ship. She stretched and went to find her Brother.

Sokka was sitting at Suki's bedside dabbing a wet cloth over her forehead lovingly. He didn't hear Katara come in, which was obvious when he started talking. "Everything is going to be alright Suki. Karara's here. She'll fix things. You'll see." He tenderly kissed his wife's cheek.

Katara didn't stay to see more. She didn't feel right intruding on the moment. Instead, she set about fixing food and unpacking some of her supplies. Just about the time food was ready, Sokka came out of the bedroom.

"Good morning Sis." he said coming over. He stood so close behind her to sniff the food, that he bumped her.

She looked at him exasperatedly, but couldn't stay mad at him for too long. She took him in. He looked better, more rested this morning. He looked more at peace. She smiled and served the food.

When they'd been eating a few minutes she ventured something that had been bothering her since last night. "Sokka?"

"Hnn." He grunted a response as he shoveled his food, then got up to retrieve some more.

"Can I ask you about that 'guy'? The Waterbender?"

Sokka ate his seconds with a little less haste. "You mean Anyu?" he said between bites. "What ya want ta know?"

"For starters, where does he come from? What's he doing here?"

Sokka set his cleaned bowl down on his lap. "Dad was here for a visit when Suki was first having problems. He'd stopped by with a group of dignitaries and the like. Anyu was in the group and Dad knew he was a Healer, so asked for his help. He's been great Katara. I think when Dad had to leave to take the others home I would've gone insane by myself."

Katara's eyes softened. She'd have to thank Anyu for her Brother's sake, if not for her Sister-in-law's.

Sokka breathed in deeply. "As to where he's from, he's Northern Water Tribe."

Katara looked at him puzzled. "I didn't think there were many healers from there that are, well..."

"Male?"

Katara spun when she heard the voice of the object of their conversation. Anyu was carrying a load of wood, and though his clothes where dry his hair was dripping wet. He set the wood down and went to fix himself a bowl.

Sokka stood, placing his bowl on the counter and went back to check on his wife.

"Smells delicious." Anyu said smiling. "It's nice to have someone else cook for a change. Though, I'll have to add this to the ever growing list of your amazing talents."

Katara could feel the heat rising up her neck. She tried to force it back down before it reached her face. Fortunately, Anyu didn't seem to notice.

"It's really your fault I'm a Healer, Master Katara." He gave her another dazzling smile as he sat in the chair Sokka'd just vacated.

She got a better look at this man now that there was a little daylight to help. His pale blue eyes were set off nicely by his black hair and dark skin. He wore his hair in the style of the Northern Tribe, down, almost shoulder-length, with only a small portion of the top pulled back. She could tell he was a few years younger than her but had a strong build, as if he was used to hard work.

She smiled at him. "Please, just Katara. How is it my 'fault'?"

He nodded. "When I was learning waterbending from Master Paku I heard you fought him for the right to to be taught. It inspired me. I'd always wanted to use my abilities to help people, not create more war. At the time the prejudice worked the other way as well. Boys were forbidden to learn the healing arts from Mistress Yugoda." He looked down sadly.

Katara sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry."

He grinned. "No need to be. After what you did, I approached Mistress Yugoda myself with my idea. She welcomed me wholeheartedly."

Katara nodded. "I'm happy for you. Having you here is a great blessing to my family. Thank you."

"You're welcome Katara."

She sort of liked the way he said just her name, but he was looking deep into her eyes with a look that made her squirm a little. His intensity was as a little too close to desire than made her comfortable. Finally she looked away, unable to take any more.

She hadn't heard him stand, but he was suddenly in front of her. He leaned over and took her bowl from her lap. After placing their dishes with Sokka's, he came back and held out his hand to her. "Shall we?"

She looked up at him questioningly.

He tossed his head in the direction of the bedroom. "Suki?"

She nodded, trying once again not to blush at what she'd just been thinking. She placed her hand in his and he helped her up. Their hands lingered and she looked at them.

Anyu released her and turned to go into the other room. Katara put both of her hands briefly on her cheeks and followed him, pondering what was wrong with her today.

A/N: Anyu is an Inuit name meaning 'snow used for a specific purpose'. I don't think I could've found a more perfect name for him. Except that it, in reality, may be a girl's name...

If you want to know what my mental image of Anyu is, then here you go:

On an episode of Justice League Unlimited Shayera Hol meets an Egyptian Archaeologist named Carter Hall. The man's possessed by 'false' memories, and believes the two of them are reincarnated lovers. Carter is almost exactly what my vision of Anyu looks like. Only Anyu is a little younger and slightly less buff.